The Wedding Shop
by Da'khari
Summary: A proposal has been made, a wedding is being planned, every bride wants the best wedding and all every groom wants to do, is make her day special, the local wedding shop has everything anyone would ever need? I own this fic
1. Chapter 1

**The Wedding Shop**

'We're getting Married' Mercy wrote to her select group of friends excited that this day was finally in sight. She'd waited, prayed, cried, laughed and even sang about this day and finally it was here, the question had been asked and she was taking it upon herself to make sure that everything was planned down to the last detail, this had to be perfect, just like she'd envisaged in her dream. _'Wait did I ask him or did he ask me?'_ she thought, her mind wondering back on the previous night

" _You know we've been playing at this for a while now and well I'm invested I hope you are" he told her_

" _I hope your invested because..."_

" _Will you..."_

" _Marry me" they'd both said looking at each other before saying "Yes" at the same time hugging to seal the deal_

"We asked each other" she smiled

"We're getting Married' Sam wrote to his select group of friends excited that their day was finally in sight. He'd never have dreamed this could happen to him, he wasn't even thinking on that level but then the questions was asked and he was ecstatic, this was going to be the day she'd dreamed about, he was going to plan every little detail, it had to be perfect just like she'd always wished _'Everything is still such a daze did I ask her or did she ask me?"_ he thought as he looked back on the events of the previous night

" _We need to stop playing at this I need to ask, I've invested in this I hope you have too?" he asked her_

" _I am invested" she replied "Will you"_

" _Marry me" they both said looking into each others eyes "Yes" they gasped before falling into each other_

"We asked each other" he smiled

 **The Venue**

 **Sam**

Sam worked in the local garage, his friends father owned it, but Kurt had no interest in that sort of thing, so from an early stage it was apparent that he was going to be partner in the outfit, his life was set. He'd more or less kept his group of friends since school, grabbing the odd girlfriend here and there but settled quickly and after 3 years of courting, he'd plucked the courage up and it was finally happening

"I'm taking some time today Bert" he said as he threw his overalls on the car bonnet "Got a wedding to plan" he said walking out the yard and into his reconditioned jeep "Venue" he told himself as he turned the key to go in search of

He went to a few, for price comparisons and although he'd wanted the best in his head, his pocket was dictating right now and she'd understand that. He finally found a small club that looked alright in the daylight, that he thought might be the perfect place, they were marrying each other not the venue anyway

"Babe I found us a venue today" he told her later that night

"Great but did we agree a date?"

"I thought we could discuss it before I actually booked" he smiled

"How do you feel about 10th August this year?"

"What 4 months time" he asked alarmed

"Yeah we can do this, we both have small families"

"Okay 10th it is" he smiled kissing her "I'll book the venue"

"I trust you" she laughed, knowing she'd have the last say anyway _'That was too easy'_ he smiled to himself as he watched her walk into the bedroom "You coming?" she asked, he sprung up

 **Mercy**

Mercy worked as a backing singer, she'd teamed up with her nemesis' Santana and Rachel from school and they'd become very well known in the business as Glitz, in the 5 years they'd been together they'd become serious about their business, they were all over the place with big name stars.

"I've seen the perfect venue, we've agreed the 10th August so put that in your diary" she told them as they stood waiting for instruction for the rehearsal of the next song "It's this beautiful Manor house type building in Florida" she smiled "I saw it when we were singing with Celine remember?" she asked them

"God yeah, great place" Santana told her

"Can you guys afford that?" Rachel asked

"It's my wedding day, he'll have to"

"Knowing him he's thinking about some pool BBQ, naked girls running around and hip hop" Santana said as they all laughed

"Leave him alone you guys are just jealous" she laughed

"We're not" Rachel laughed saying "Mercy seriously we're not" she looked at her saying

"Ladies" they heard as they paid attention to the set director

"Jealous" Mercy said smiling as they stood listening

"I want to see you get this manor thing off the mark" Santana laughed

"I have ways" she giggled

 **Catering**

 **Sam**

"Morning babe" he smiled two weeks later _'she thinks she winning this fight'_ he thought as he jumped up and out of bed "I've got a classic coming in this morning I need to be there for it" he told her running to the bathroom

"So we agreed then?" she shouted after him _'No'_ he laughed thinking but didn't answer her

"I'll see you tonight" he came out of the bathroom dressed saying, kissing her and leaving the bedroom and the house

"I'm taking this afternoon Boss I need to sort something out" Sam told Bert again when he got to work

"This wedding is taking over your damn life, are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely" he laughed tapping Bert's back "Look at this baby" he said as the classic 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS drove in "Thousands of work hours ahead" he laughed rubbing his hands, the morning was taken up just looking at it once the owner left "Okay, I'm going" he said throwing his overall on top of the bonnet of the nearby car

"Its just about touched afternoon" Bert shouted after him shaking his head "That boy" he laughed as he watched him drive off

"Mike" he said when he got to Earl's Grill and Fry

"Hey" Mike replied hugging him "Earl's round back, you're early"

"Do me a grill while I wait, usual" he smiled looking around for a vacant seat "Over here" he said going to sit in the seat middle window. He was half way through his lunch when Earl finally joined him

"So Sam I hear you want my guys to cater your wedding?"

"Yeah we love eating here, the food never disappoints and it's cheap" he laughed "10th August, how you fixed"

"I'm fixed, consider it booked" he said as Sam threw his last rib bone on his empty plate and wiped his hands before shaking his hand

"We can talk costs closer to the time for about 20 people tops"

 **Mercy**

"Rachel, Santana I need your help on this" Mercy told them as they'd finished the gig for the night "In the morning I have tasting sessions for the caterers and I need you guys to come taste with me, I need to get this done"

"What the hell is that damn man of yours doing for this wedding?" Rachel asked

"It's a surprise, I just want to get everything in place for us as his present" she smiled "And he don't need to do anything but look good and want me"

"Wants you alright" Santana smiled "I'm up for food any time of the day you know that, I'm in"

"Yeah me too" Rachel laughed "Crash at yours tonight then?" she asked looking at Santana

"Yeah sure" she replied "We'll meet at yours in the morning" Santana said looking at Mercy

"No we'll meet at the studio I don't need him knowing anything is going on, tomorrow" she said jumping in her car

"Look at her running back home, to bed, with her damn fiancé" Santana shouted after her as she made for her car waving her hand at them as she went

"Jealous" she shouted back laughing

The next day they went to Compton Hall where Mercy had five caterers doing their four course taster they got it down to two and finally bargained on fineries until she got a price she wanted from one and went with them, provisionally booking them until she'd spoken to her other half "That's taken a morning" Rachel informed them as they walked to the car stuffed

"Please tell me you're not thinking about lunch" Mercy laughed as they got in Rachel's car

"I was thinking pamper" Rachel informed them

"Now that's what I'm talking about" Santana laughed

"Let's get to talking" Mercy said to Rachel as they drove to the spa

 **The Dress**

Four weeks later and Mercy's plans were almost air tight, she'd booked the local church, provisionally booked the venue, caterers, invites had gone out and RSVP's had come back they were expecting more people than they'd bargained for and she'd been going to the gym four times a week and felt like she was in the right place to get fitted for her dress.

"Are you going to get your dress?" Quinn asked when they met for lunch one afternoon, Quinn worked abroad and rarely came home, let alone to venture up to California to see the crew and with her boyfriend Noah's band moving all over the place, she generally went where he was, she met him at some gig, how they got serious was a puzzle but they did, so this was a treat to have her lunching with an overnight stay

"Yeah when I feel I'm in the right place" Mercy smiled

"There's like five weeks to your wedding, I think you're cutting it fine"

"I'll get it done don't worry" she giggled "Hi girls about time" she said as Quinn looked round to see Rachel and Santana coming towards them she jumped up to get hugs

"I was just ragging Mercy about her dress" she told them as she came out of the hug

"She's waiting till she's a stick insect" Rachel told her

"That's so going to happen" they laughed at Santana's comment, Mercy laughed too but she didn't like it

"I have my doctors appointment this afternoon, so I'll see you guys after that yeah?" Mercy told them as they left the restaurant

"Sorry Brittany's coming in tonight I'm out ladies" Santana announced

"Rachel and I will see you after your, am I baby ready, consultation Mercy we're still your friend" Quinn said hugging her

"About nine" Mercy waved as she walked away, she didn't have her appointment until five but she really wanted to throw eggs on her laughing friends face, so she was going to get her wedding dress today, it was going to be the best dress ever and while she was at it she'd get his suit to make sure they matched. She knew where she was going, she'd passed it so many times since they'd lived there, it had become part of her dream wedding, she started the car and headed over to The Wedding Shop, she stood outside looking in as if it was a candy shop, the biggest smile on her face because now she actually had a reason to go inside, she was buying her wedding dress

"Can I help you Miss?" a man came towards her asking

"I need a wedding dress" she smiled "And a suit for my husband to be, to match, nothing crass, just sweet"

"I can help you with that, my name's Tony" he said holding his hand out for shaking "We can cater to all your needs here" he looked around the shop saying "Do you have any ideas?"

"Lots of ideas" she smiled "But I want something that really suit me you know?"

"Browse while I get some pieces set up"

She walked around looking in the large store at dresses, grabbing hold of them and spreading them across her body trying to see what might suit her as she waited for Tony to come back with a miracle "Sorry" she said as she grabbed a dress someone else was grabbing from the other side, looking over the rail as she spoke, into the greenest eyes she had ever seen, their eyes flirting

"Miss, we're ready for you now" Tony said grabbing her attention before leading her towards the changing rooms

"Thank you" she smiled following him, looking back to get a look at the green eyed man, he was standing looking at them walking away

 **The Suit**

"The stress of this shit is really getting to me we need to have a plan Sam, the wedding is in five weeks and you haven't lifted a finger to help with anything" she walked around the living room shouting as Sam held his head in his hands

"Everything will be fine" he jumped up saying, thinking the next thing to come was a call off "I'll get my suit today and..."

"Yeah the rest is a fucking surprise I heard that, it will be a surprise if I don't feel it on the day" she waved her finger at him saying

"You didn't get your dress yet, you didn't book your GP visit, your more behind than me" he laughed

"I'm doing all that today, I want my dress at the last minute, you know I want to be as curvy as I can and I'm waiting till the last possible minute before I do that"

"This is the minute babe"

"Okay we agree everything gets done today yeah?"

"Shit I'm in LA at 10 tonight for three days, I mentioned that didn't I? I..."

"There are shops in LA babe" he smiled "Yes you mentioned it, everything done today, I don't need you stressing" he hugged her saying "I'm going this morning, to get my suit I mean" he told her as he went to the bathroom coming out dressed "Have a good trip, I might not get back before you leave, I'm on the Chev..." he said kissing her as his phone rang, he left the house grabbing for his phone

"Sam" he heard when he answered

"Bert, what's up?" he asked

"Someone's taken the car" he shouted down the phone

"The Chevy" Sam screamed down the phone starting the car to make his way to work quick time "How the fuck" he said through clenched teeth "Bert, what the hell happened?" he asked running through the yard over to where the car used to be "This could put us out of damn business"

"You don't need to tell me that, I'm fully aware of the consequences of losing a fucking 60K car"

"Sorry Bert I'm panicking here" he said looking around the yard "Where's Kurt?"

"What?"

"Where's Kurt" Sam asked again

"He's gone to town why?"

"Have you called him, found out if he's got it?"

"He wouldn't dare..."

"If Blaine was here he would" Sam said taking his phone out to call Kurt, establishing he had the car and relaying the information to Bert

"I'll kill him when he gets back" Bert shouted

"You won't" Sam laughed

"I won't" he laughed "Three cars came in last night they want two back this morning so it's all hands on deck till we get those two done"

"That's fine" Sam said rolling his eyes he'd got out of so much work over the past few months he couldn't say anything else. So it was afternoon before he got away from the yard enough to scrub clean and jump in his jeep to go find a suit, he knew where he was going there was this shop he'd passed so many times, when he'd first thought about getting married he'd stood outside the shop just looking in picturing his day, looking at the suits, dresses, cakes. He spotted a dress and he just had to go in and have a look at it

"Can I help you Sir?" the voice asked

"Yeah I'm looking for a suit for my wedding, black is good but I think her colour might be mauve or something like that, is there such a colour?"

"Yes Sir there is, my name is Tony by the way" he offered his hand saying, Sam took the shake with a smile "I'll be back in a short while Sir feel free to browse"

Sam walked around the shop looking at the cakes first there were some magnificent cakes on display with some eat every fucking crumb prices, eventually he got fed up of swearing in his head and moved over to the suits, leafing through to see what was in fashion just now and finding nothing that felt like him, he was about to get depressed about the shop being overreaching for him when he spotted a dress he liked and wondered over to it, pulling it towards him he tugged harder to get it out and heard someone say _'sorry'_ he looked over the rail to see smiling brown eyes staring back at him "Sorry" he smiled letting the dress go, and their eyes flirted

"Sir" he heard and looked towards Tony walking to him "I'll be with you in a moment"

"Thank you" Sam said as he watched Tony move across the shop talking to the brown eyed lady, she turned to look at him and for everything in him that wanted not to be rude, he couldn't move his eyes or his feet until she let his eyes go

 **Mercy**

She tried on those two dresses and looked at a dozen more before she decided, today was not the day to buy a wedding dress, she made her excuses, asked them to keep aside two dresses until she had someone come in with her and left for her 5pm appointment at the clinic. She was going to be late she'd spent far too much time at the wedding shop, she'd promised she was going to get this test done and now because of dresses she was breaking a promise, she sped along the highway using her knowledge of the backstreet routes to get to her appointment and made it with only minutes to spare "Mercy Jones 5pm" she almost shouted at the receptionist, who looked up at the clock before agreeing to book her in "Thank you" she breathed before looking round to find a seat

She went in and did her tests, relieved that at least one thing she'd planned to do today got done "Quinn" she said down the phone as she sat in her car "I've got to pop home and get changed, I'll be there, don't start without me" she laughed closing the call

It had been a funny afternoon, she hadn't felt right since she'd walked into that wedding shop, she was on such a high before she went in all ready to get a dress for her dream wedding and some of those dresses were really nice, perfect at least one of them, but the heart had gone out of it, she didn't need a dress just then "Maybe you do need your friends around you for stuff like that" she surmised as she made her way home "He's working late" she rolled her eyes saying when she walked into an empty flat. She got dressed, wrote him a note and left to meet her friends as planned for food, fun and maybe some pre-marital frolic, smiling at she called a cab

"Hi" she walked into the bar saying waving across at Quinn and Rachel waiting

"Hi" they said

"Apparently Santana and Brittany are turning up, she wants to blow out"

"I could do with one of those" Mercy laughed "I've had a really funny day today"

"Hi guys" Santana came up to them saying "How did things go?" she asked looking at Mercy

"Really, you need me to talk about that right now?" she asked looking around the bar

"Sorry"

"Britt" Mercy said getting up to hug her as everyone else followed

"Right, food" Brittany said as everyone grabbed the menu to order "Anyone want to wet the pipes while we wait?" she laughed calling the waiter over without waiting for a reply and ordering four shots

"Blow out" Quinn reminded Rachel and Mercy after shot 7

It was a while later when they all piled into a cab and headed for Rachel's place that being the closest and everyone needing the bathroom, they piled into her flat and used the bathroom sitting down to chill for a few seconds before they went home "Everyone knows their stopping here" Rachel laughed "Who's going to grab the cab?"

"We're staying here" Quinn agreed

"You were staying here anyway" Santana told her

"Oh yeah" she laughed as Rachel came in with a bottle of whiskey and five glasses

"Nightcap?" she asked holding the bottle up as everyone cheered

Two hours later and only Santana had fallen by the wayside everyone else was enjoying the last dregs of the second bottle of whiskey and Rachel was fighting to get up to get another

"Mercy" she shouted across the room "Did you get your damn dress yet?"

"Not yet" Mercy replied

"Damn girl, there's like four weeks to your damn wedding and you ain't got a dress yet, that's telling you something" Quinn said

"I've got to pick from two" Mercy said in her defence

"You've already picked if you ask me, someone asks a girl to get married and the first thing she sorts is the damn dress, making it feel real you know" Quinn carried on

"I wanted to lose some pounds before I committed" Mercy told her

"Girl he asked you with those damn pounds on, you can always get it altered you don't have to wait" Quinn sat up saying "Just saying Mercy, tell me to mind my own if you think I'm wrong"

"I don't know what you are" she looked at Quinn saying "I...I went to the wedding shop today and I met this guys eyes and ….. I don't even know, I've been in a funny mood since, I don't even know why I just told you guys this"

"Met his eyes?" Brittany asked "Where was the rest of him?"

"He was all there and I don't know what happened, I just had to take another look, I'm not supposed to be doing that shit if I'm in love, am I?"

"Sure you can look, you just can't think, touch, feel" Quinn said laughing

"I thought" Mercy confessed

"So hold up" Rachel finally came back saying "I've brought a fucking dress, booked my hairdresser, ordered my damn shoes, what's happening here?"

"A wedding on the 10th August" Mercy told her, smiling

"So get the damn dress" Santana woke up saying making them all laugh as Rachel filled glasses up again

The next morning everyone had a hangover "I've got to go home" Mercy told them as everyone held their heads for her talking "I've got a day of grovelling ahead" she tried to laugh but her head was banging so hard

"There are cabs about now" Rachel told her as she grabbed her bag, put her shoes on and made for the lift

"Babe I'm so sorry" she rushed into the flat saying, expecting him to be eating breakfast in the kitchen, and found no one "Oh" she said making her way to the bedroom "Ba..." she trailed off when she saw the bed hadn't been slept in either, she grabbed her phone to contact him "Babe" she got out before she realised it was his answer machine 'Sorry babe spent the night at Rachel's where are you, no message?' she asked clipping the message off. She got in the bath, did her hair, oiled her skin and sat eating a very late breakfast "still no reply" she looked at her phone saying, leaving half the cereal in the bowl and heading back out, she drove around town for a while before she found herself back at The Wedding Shop "I'm going to have good news if it kills me" she said jumping out her car and heading to the door "How do I look?" she looked down at herself thinking "Maybe I'll see …." she looked up

 **Sam**

Sam stood in the changing room wondering what the hell just happened, he knew what had happened, he'd been struck by lightening, thunder, love but why? He wasn't thinking about anything or anyone else just focused on getting his suit for his wedding to the woman he loves and for that second, that was not his main focus. He looked at the suits hanging waiting for him to try them on and he couldn't get the spirit to be enthusiastic about it, something had definitely changed in those few seconds but he didn't understand what. He brought the suits back out front "I'll need to bring someone with me I think, everything looks good on me" he told Tony as he handed them back

"Any one of these in particular Sir?" Tony asked

"These two" he said tapping two random suits before leaving the shop

"Sam" Bert said as he walked into the shop "We had another car in can you try and get that done before you go?"

"Yeah" he said his mind only half there as Bert rambled on about what he needed to do to the waiting car "I'm going to work on the Chevy for a bit after, think time"

"What's happened to love time with that bride of yours?" Bert asked

"She's off on her travels again tonight for three days"

"That girl travels too much for someone who's thinking about settling down"

"I guess" he said taking his phone out as a message alert buzzed "Shit" he spat at reading it

"What's up, please don't tell me you need time again" Bert laughed

"No she hasn't found time to get her dress again today" he told Bert sitting on the car bonnet they used as a bench

"It's what four weeks to the wedding and she hasn't even looked at a damn dress yet?" Bert asked

"No she's too busy"

"She wants to get married but she's too busy? I don't get it, weddings are every girls dreams aren't they so you'd have thought that would have been top on her list of things to do, just saying" he looked at Sam saying, he could see he wasn't too happy with what he was hearing "Look Sam, I know you love her but seriously, if she's not returning the love, I think you need to sit with her and have a talk, before the wedding, you never know it might just be jitters"

"But what's your gut feeling?" Sam asked him

"Never mind my guts talk to her" Bert said going back to work

"I think I met someone today" he blurted out making Bert look round at him "Well our eyes met but for me it was deep, I lost the will to find a suit for my own damn wedding" he looked at Bert saying "I wasn't … I mean I'm not looking for anyone else I love her, you know that, but I saw some eyes today that made me stop, I mean I couldn't move even though I wanted to and I have to take notice of that"

"Why do you" Bert asked "Everyone's head gets turned every now and again, it's what you do about it that makes it cheating"

"In that case I cheated, I looked into her soul, she looked into mine for a second and I wanted her to see me"

"Right now I need you to look into the soul of that engine" Bert said pointing at the car that needed Sam's attention, he spent a few hours getting the car sorted before he had something to eat "Midnight" he looked at his phone saying before he carried on with the Chevy. It was 4 in the morning before he finally gave up and went home to get a minutes rest before getting back to it, he was back up at 7 looking at his phone for messages "No messages" he said getting up to visit the bathroom. He got dressed had breakfast and sat around for a while before he decided to go get his suit, if this thing was going to fail it wasn't going to be because of him, Bert was right everyone looks.

He jumped in his jeep and made his way back to The Wedding Shop, got to the door and for some unknown reason he had to take a breath before he pushed the door open

 **The Wedding Shop**

 **Sam**

Sam had gone first thing this morning, he'd given himself the whole day to make this one decision, if he sat and studied himself, he knew something wasn't right Bert had been right about a lot of things last night, she hardly talked about the wedding except to rag him about something that wasn't done right or add more guests to the list, she was actually the man in the situation. All she had to do was buy a dress and yesterday he'd found himself having to actually rag her about doing that, even down to getting her tests done she was dragging her feet and for her instead of winding down on the work she seemed to be stepping it up, but there must be a logical answer to all of this he thought "You've been thinking that for months Evans get a grip"

So here he was at the shop again hoping to find that suit for this hopeful wedding on the one hand, but praying hard to see brown eyes again on the other

"Morning Sir" Tony said smiling "Back to make a choice on the suits?" he asked for confirmation

"My mind's still open" Sam laughed "I've set the day aside it has to be right"

"Indeed" Tony smiled

Sam went about trying suits on looking at cakes and dresses, coming back to two particular suits he really couldn't make his mind up about "Seriously I'm stuck" he laughed with Tony saying "I'll get some lunch and be back in a bit" he said leaving the dressing area, heading for the door

"After lunch Sir" Tony said as he grabbed the door

"In a bit" Sam replied pulling the door open to walk out to see a lady standing there "Sorry, come on in" he told her as she looked up "Hi" he smiled recognising brown eyes standing in front of him

"Hi" she smiled

"I snatched the dress off you yesterday" he told her

"Yes" she smiled "No problem I was looking for a wedding dress anyway"

"Sorry" he said still holding the door, she was inside the shop by now

"No problem, it's forgotten" she turned to say

"Ahh Miss nice to see you again" Tony said as he walked towards her "Back to choose your dress" he said walking her to the ladies changing area

Sam watched as she walked off with Tony, she stopped at the bottom step and looked at him, but this time he was gliding towards her, his mind was saying something but he couldn't make out what, he just stood dry mouthed and sweating, suddenly all he saw in front of him was the shop door shut and he was outside it "Oh" he said looking in to see she'd gone before he walked off to find a cafe for some lunch

 **Mercy**

 _'Why did you have to do that?'_ she walked into the dressing room thinking, _'You had to take it that step further and look back at him, and he saw you, you have no shame girl and your buying your damn wedding dress, to marry the man of your damn dreams'_ she threw her purse on the couch thinking

"I'll bring the two dresses Miss" Tony told her as he closed the curtain

"Thank you" she smiled, she tried the two dresses on but again her mind wasn't in it, she sat thinking was this wedding really what she wanted, she had no drive for this damn dress, the last time she came she told them she needed someone with her yet she still insists on coming alone, were these all signs of resistance "Sorry Tony I'm still torn" she finally told him "I'll be back on Monday about 11 with a decision"

"It's an important day, important dress, take all the time you need" he smiled back at her as she grabbed her bag and made to leave the shop "Oh" she said as she walked out to see green eyes standing in the foyer "We must stop meeting like this" she laughed

"Must we?" he smiled "Did you get what you needed?" he asked

"No maybe Monday" she giggled as she stepped past him "Happy shopping"

"Yourself" he grinned back at her before she turned and left the shop

 **Sam**

Sam went back to shopping for his suit, he knew in his heart he had no intention of buying it right now, brown eyes had just told him she was going to be back in the shop on Monday and he wasn't going to miss that, something was happening for him, he still didn't know what but he knew for sure he needed to follow it up, he left the shop still undecided "I'll be back on Monday Tony" he smiled

"Yes Sir around 11am" Tony smiled at him

"Yes 11" he said grabbing his piece of cake he'd been offered and leaving the shop jumping in his jeep his phone rang out his girls tone

"Hi Sam sorry I haven't called or picked up, things got really busy here, how are things"

"Things are fine, have you got your dress yet?"

"Sorry no babe I said things have been …."

"Busy yeah, babe it's like three weeks to the wedding and you haven't done the one thing you've been tasked with yet, what is that telling me?"

"I didn't call to argue babe, I just wanted to touch base..."

"Tell me are you in this or not?" he shouted over the phone

"I asked you didn't I?"

"No actually I asked you" he blew out saying "You didn't answer me"

"I'm not having this conversation over the phone Sam, we'll talk when I get back" she told him putting the phone down, he sat staring at his phone unsure what to make of the unanswered question

The Friday and Saturday seemed to rush along as he made himself busy in the yard, hearing from his so called fiancé just once via text, suddenly it was Sunday and she was due back, hopefully with dress in hand after their last conversation, he'd done some lunch and was sitting waiting.

"Hi" she walked in saying no love you, missed you, kiss just hi

"Hi" Sam said back getting prepared for this confrontation he knew was about to take place "What's up?" he asked as she sat on the chair at the table, the furthest seat away from him she could find

"Sam I heard, well Joe told me actually that you've booked him for the food for the wedding"

"Yeah we love Joe's food"

"Not for a fucking wedding we don't, I want somewhere upmarket, a hotel or something not Joe's food in some club house fit for rats my family are expected to turn up, yeah?"

"We can clean it if we need to"

"No we can't, you get somewhere else or it's off"

"So where we get married is more important to you than actually getting married?"

"Well I didn't think so but yes it is"

"And that's the reason you're dragging your heels on buying a dress?"

"I hope so"

"Babe we're three weeks away from a wedding here, I need straight answers"

"You promise to change the food and venue, if it's in a club and we're getting married in three weeks" she smiled walking over to him and kissing him

"Finally" he pulled her in saying "I missed you babe"

"Bed" she pulled him up saying, he got up without question

 _He was there he knew he was there but his mind was elsewhere, he was kissing brown eyes, feeling on brown eyes 'Shit' he said when he opened his eyes and saw his girlfriend 'this is not supposed to be happening' he closed his eyes harder thinking as his mind refused to move away from the image of her._ "I'm not in the mood for this babe" he jumped up saying "I think maybe I expected a fight, I'm just not in the mood sorry" he got up and left the bedroom saying _'What the fuck'_ he thought as he went to the kitchen to finish preparing their lunch, they sat in silence for most of the day, him wondering how brown eyes found her way into his bed and her wondering if he was having second thoughts

"Are we alright Sam?" she asked when he turned his back to try and find sleep later that night

"I'm fine maybe wedding jitters" he laughed "Goodnight" _'Wedding jitters my foot, it's Monday tomorrow and I can't wait for it to get here, I need to be at the wedding shop for 11'_ he closed his eyes trying to get rid of the thought

"Goodnight babe" she said kissing his cheek

The next day he was up too early, he left and was at the yard before 8, he'd got two cars done before he left at 10.30 for his visit to The Wedding shop

 **Mercy**

The weekend was set, they'd got a gig with Lionel Richie for his best of show, and rehearsals were starting on Friday night for a Sunday Evening live show, Quinn had gone back home after an extra evening of drink and free talk on Thursday only this time Mercy went home, they were all excited about meeting the man himself and the buzz was that he was doing a duet with Diana Ross at some point.

"Hi babe" she walked into the flat to see him sitting on the couch "I called you this morning you didn't reply"

"Hi babe I lost my damn phone, sorry" he smiled "And I don't know your number by heart before you ask, I sent an email"

"I didn't check my mail today, I was busy" she smiled going over to kiss him "Just what I needed" she told him as he pulled her down onto him

"And your off for the weekend with Lionel, should I be jealous?"

"Should you?" she laughed "Give me some credit, Lionel, he's my Grandfathers age"

"Yeah but he's a brilliant artist"

"I agree with that, so grab that jealousy" she looked at him saying before she kissed him again

"Bed?" he asked "I got four days worth to catch up on and three days grace" he laughed "And I want to give Lionel something to live up to"

"I'm sorry, I'm not up for that tonight and I know that sucks with me going away tomorrow and stuff but slap me for being a woman" she told him "I've got to pack and I have an appointment in the morning before we meet up to get off"

"You usually leave the day free, what happened?"

"A wedding babe are you ready?"

"Yeah I'm ready, everything sorted your end?"

"Nearly" she smiled "So you got your suit already?"

"The day after you buy your damn dress" he shouted after her as she made her way to the bedroom to pack

"Goodnight babe, I'm in the bath after this and you know how that goes" she said running back to kiss him before finally disappearing into their bedroom, while he settled into the game, she really didn't need to get into that dress conversation

"Babe, Babe, I've got to go, I'll see you on Monday" she called to him as she was leaving the next morning

"Monday babe miss you already" he said pulling her to him for a kiss "Miss me back?" he asked letting her go

"We'll see" she laughed walking away from him, out the flat and about her business

"We're agreed on dresses" Mercy asked Rachel as they ran thought the studio towards their changing room, for the last fitting before they went off for the weekend, they had three changes for the show and everything had to be perfect

"We agreed three" she confirmed

"Where the hell is Santana?"

"She's here" Santana said as they burst through the changing room door to see her sitting waiting "I need my third dress" she smiled "Which brings me nicely to you Mercy, did you get a dress yet?"

"I'm thinking about two over the weekend, so I'll have one on Monday" she smiled

"Hoo fucking ray" Santana shouted rolling her eyes at the ongoing saga "When are we going to see this damn dress?"

"When I'm ready" she laughed "Now we're Glitz" she announced as everyone switched to work mode. The travel, rehearsals and event went well in fact they got another gig off the back of it right there, Brittany had turned up for the show, which made Santana preform that much better, they were on a roll

"I'll be glad to get home, it's been none stop" Rachel said as they sat on the plane back

"Yeah" Mercy found to say, she didn't remind them that it was dress day and she didn't tell them that all she had on her damn mind all weekend was Mr green eyes, with the sexy voice and the drop dead sexy grin, worse, she was hoping he'd be visiting the shop today so she could actually talk to him

"I'll see you guys tomorrow" she said as they walked out of the airport, finding her car and making her way to the wedding shop

 **The Wedding Shop**

"Morning Tony" Mercy walked into the shop saying "I'm determined today is the day or it's off, so don't let me leave without a dress"

"I won't Mercedes" he laughed taking her to the changing room

"And I promise to let you help today too" she told him drawing the curtains to be left alone, she put the first dress on so many times she'd lost count, before braving it out telling herself she was dressing for a performance and finally came out to get Tony's opinion "What do you think?" she spun round asking

"That the dress is really nice" Sam answered smiling

"Sorry I thought you were Tony" she smiled back

"Sam" he said holding his hand out, shocked when she grabbed his hand and burst out crying "What's wrong?" he asked stepping towards her

"My dress, my life" she sobbed "Your name, everything" she burst into a wet giggle saying "Sorry" she looked up at him saying "We say that a lot to each other, don't we?"

"I guess, we've had three conversations and all of them have had that word in yes" he laughed

"Shit you counted our conversations?" she looked at him asking "Sorry I can't believe I just said that, shit I mean"

"That's fine so" he looked at her for a while before speaking again "What do they call you?"

"Never mind what they call me, you can call me Mercy, please"

"Well Mercy you seem like you've reached a familiar block in your shopping, do you want to pop across the road and get drink and something to eat or just chat, get rid of some of this stress"

"That Sam, is a plan" she looked down at herself saying "Give me a minute"

 **The Cafe**

"After you" he pushed the door open saying as she stepped past him and walked in with a smile on her face "What can I get you?"

"I'll have a cappuccino and maybe a club sandwich please"

"Fine go find a table I'll get these ordered" he smiled at her, standing at the counter feeling pleased with himself, he hadn't planned on going this far with this but he felt alright at the pace. He'd told himself he was going to talk to her, his body was telling him all kinds of different things right now, but if she was in a wedding shop there was a significant other which meant his feelings needed to stay way under his skin

Mercy found a table, her insides were floating, she'd gone way past the my name is stage, which is where she'd planned for today, but this was cool. She sat trying to get her body under control, why was she thinking all this stuff about the man, she met him in a frigging wedding shop, obviously he's found the girl of his dreams, so this was going to be a social meeting to chill, as he'd said, because she needed to get a dress today

"Gosh I've never had a year like this one so far" he sat down saying, pushing her drink across to her "Food's on it's way" he looked back at the counter saying "Since she proposed I've been at it nearly every day getting stuff sorted but I'm stuck on the suit of all things"

"That's me, everything and I mean everything else is done paid for even, except my dress and I know he's waiting for me to buy the damn thing before he commits to a suit"

"So what's the hold up, with the dress I mean?"

"Truthfully, I'd always imagined that would have been the first thing I'd have brought after he proposed but, I guess now it's just so final actually getting the dress you know, I mean I love him and everything but is that enough?"

"Enough for?"

"To build a life on, we really don't spend that much time together, he's a pharmaceutical salesman all over the country sometimes out the country, and I love that he's ambitious and everything, and sex is good but I struggle for anything outside of that, I sing, I'm a backing singer so I go where the work is too"

"I guess you don't get much time together then, but if it's worked till now surely there's something?" he asked

"Something but is it enough?" she smiled "And I don't need to be spending my hard earned cash on something if I'm never going to wear it"

"When's your wedding?"

"10th August this year 2 weeks away actually" she laughed

"Mine too" he laughed "Same day" he said looking past her to see the food coming "lunch" he told her nodding at the waitress coming

"Oh I love James Bay" she said as his song **'Hold Back the River'** whistled through the cafe

"Me too actually" he told her as he grabbed his fork to start his meal

"So why are you still looking for a suit?" she asked

"She hasn't brought a dress yet either, I'm not even sure I know her, want to know her even, she's just announced she didn't want to have her reception at the club I chose, and she no longer likes the food our favourite cook makes she wants to go upmarket or it's off" he looked up as he paused "I'd have liked to have thought she'd marry me in underwear in a barn, but I think she's a slave to the day"

"What's wrong with wanting the day to be nice?"

"She's a assistant choreographer, and I'm a mechanic, that brings in limited funds so I'd like to not be in debt to start our life together, just struggle up, romantic like" he laughed "The more I try to find what it is I found in her that night she asked me to marry her the harder it's becoming for me to see it, hence the hesitation"

"So what are you going to do?"

"Change the venue, chef and pray she turns up on the day" he said "What are you going to do?"

"Find a dress, turn up at the church and marry the man of my dreams" she said as quiet fell for the first time since they'd started their meal James Bay's song still going

 _Lonely water, lonely water, won't you let us wander? let us hold each other?  
Lonely water, lonely water, won't you let us wander? let us hold each other?_

 _Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes, hold back the river,  
So I, can stop for a minute and see where you hide, hold back the river, hold back_

He looked up from his meal "Do you know that as you get more used to your partner your ability not to hear them heightens?"

"Is that true?"

"I don't know I heard it somewhere, I think I'm going to test it out, tonight before I commit to that suit" he looked at his plate saying "Because..." he stopped eating, thinking, feeling and just sat still, trying to find the words that were jumbled up in his head "Because I need to be in love with my wife and since I saw you" he looked up at her saying "I look for you, I came here looking for you, I think about you, I hope that maybe I'll get to see you and every time I do I have to catch my breath, my hands sweat, my motion stops, I can't think, seeing you talking to you" his eyes begging her to understand what he was saying "I think about touching you, you touching me, I live in this world of anticipation, is that normal"

"Wedding jitters" she looked at him saying, scared to tell her true feelings "That's what this is, you love her and Sam I love him" she touched his hand saying "Lets not complicate this" her eyes begging him to stop

"Yeah lets go choose your dress and my suit" he half smiled, they finished their meal and went back to the shop. They seemed to just pick any old thing up and say yes, paying and leaving The Wedding Shop with their wedding clothes in hand "If you ever want to be in love" he smiled as they hugged and parted company

"What?" she pulled away asking

"James Bay my favourite song from him" he smiled "Remember me"

"Oh I will" she smiled as they left the shop for the last time

 **10** **th** **August**

 **10am**

 **Mercy**

The day had come and Mercy was running around the flat looking for her keys "What?" she shouted down the phone to maybe the twelfth call this morning "I know I'm fine, I'll be there" she shouted down the phone slamming it off as she carried on the search for her keys "There you are" she breathed as she looked on in the fridge and found them, grabbing her dress before leaving the flat

 **Sam**

Sam sprung out of bed and took in the air, he'd had a night last night and his head took a while to lift itself up off the pillow and follow him to the bathroom "Mike" he said as he walked into his living room "Didn't know you stayed"

"Yeah, I'm your wing man where else would I be, are you fit?"

"I'm fit thanks Dude you can get off"

"Yeah I will now I know you're alive, I'll grab my stuff and see you there"

"Yeah I'm grabbing a clean up, later" he said seeing him out the door before showering, shaving and grabbing his suit to leave the flat

 **12 noon**

 **Mercy**

"Hi Tony" she said as she walked into the shop, dress in hand "As we discussed on Wednesday" she said handing the dress bag back to him "Thanks for everything, you've been so patient" she smiled as he frowned and put the dress away

"Thank you Mercedes" he kissed her hand saying

"Hopefully, we'll meet again" she smiled

"Just pop in when you're passing we'd love to see you, catch up"

"Will do" she said finding the door and exiting the shop

 **Sam**

"Tony" he smiled

"Sorry Sam" Tony said his face sad

"No problem, my choice" he said giving him the suit bag back "It really wasn't the right fit"

"Well we have other things so please feel free to pop in any time, have some cake" he smiled

"Will do" he laughed "Bye Tony" he waved as he left the shop

 **The Coffee Shop**

 **2pm**

Mercy sat in the shop thinking on her so called wedding day, everything had gone wrong since she'd brought that damn wedding dress into the house, how did she get from excited, through upset, into heartbroken and right down to depressed in two weeks?

 _She'd walked in with her wedding dress draped across her arms "Babe" she called through the house hoping he was out so she could hide her dress "Babe" she called again to make sure as she made her way to the bedroom, hung her dress in the back of her wardrobe and came out smiling. "Babe" she said again walking towards the kitchen to find he really wasn't there. She sat in the kitchen looking around thinking she might cook tonight, everything was ready and now they only had two weeks of them to look forward to after the wedding 'Have you booked the time off?' she sent him a message asking_

 _'I've got two weeks' he sent back almost immediately_

 _'Where are you, I'm home'_

 _'Work'_

 _'What time you getting home?'_

 _'Soon' 'I'm in a meeting' he wrote meaning for her to stop chatting_

 _It was way past 11pm when he finally got home, she was about to go to bed when she heard the key in the door "Hi Babe" she jumped up saying going to meet him at the door "You hungry?" she asked as she kissed him_

" _No babe, I ate already I had Chinese with the team"_

" _So what, I'm sitting here waiting and you're socialising with you work crew?"_

" _Problem?"_

" _Well yeah, when we haven't had time together for nearly four weeks"_

" _Apparently we've got the rest of our lives together in less than a fortnight" he snapped back_

" _What's that supposed to mean, have you brought your suit?"_

" _No, have you brought your dress?"_

" _Yeah today" she smiled "So there's no reason for you not to get your suit now is there?"_

" _I'll take a rain check on that" he sat beside her saying "Babe I know I asked, well we asked and everything, and I don't know if this is jitters or whatever they call it, but right now, I'm not feeling it" he looked at her broken face saying "I'm not saying it's not going to happen I'm just saying today I'm not feeling it"_

" _Why?"_

" _Well I guess the doubt came in when you didn't jump up to get your damn dress, everyone I spoke to said that would have been the first thing and, I guess all this time I've just been waiting for you to use that get out clause but you haven't"_

" _But I've brought the dress" she looked at him saying "And I guess somewhere in there some of that was going on for me, but I'm certain about this, I've brought the dress"_

" _Yeah you brought the dress" he kissed her saying bringing a smile to her face "But I still haven't brought the suit" he looked at her saying watching a tear fall down her face "I just need some time" he wiped it away saying_

" _I'm going to bed" she got up saying more upset than she cared to show right now_

 _Three days went by and she was still no further ahead with their nearing wedding day, she hadn't said anything to Rachel, Quinn or Santana about the conversation she'd had with him, truth be known she didn't know what to say about it, he'd left her in limbo. Finally she'd managed to get everything ready for a wedding they'd paid for and he was standing on the side lines, a position she'd never seen herself being in "Babe, I'm in Cali for the weekend, I should be back on Tuesday" she shouted through the house as she head him come in the door "Adele's regular backers aren't available and Rachel knows a man who knows a man and she got us in"_

" _That's good, you like Adele" he shouted, she could hear him coming closer_

" _Then it's four days to our wedding" she smiled as she saw him standing in the doorway_

" _About that Babe can we call it a day on that?" he asked_

" _Yeah Friday" she laughed looking at him to see he wasn't joking "What are you saying?"_

" _I'm saying it's off babe officially, and I haven't thought as far as splitting up, I just know I don't want marriage" he told her watching her fall to the bed and cry like a baby "Sorry babe are you okay?" he went towards her asking_

" _Yeah" she sprung up saying "I'm great" she looked at him saying "I just don't have any idea what the fuck it is we're actually arguing about here" she wiped her eyes saying_

" _We're not arguing babe I just made a decision"_

" _Okay" she smiled water still rolling down her face "Decision, either you move out or I will"_

" _I don't have any..."_

" _Fine I'll move out when I get back" she said jumping up off the bed fanning him away as he came towards her "And I'm fine I don't need you clinging onto me, I'm a big girl" she didn't have time for this, they were singing behind Adele for crying out loud she needed to be at her best, Glitz needed to be at it's best. She got dressed while he sat watching "You're gonna miss this shit" she flashed her ass at him saying as she left, mini case in tow, signalling she wasn't going to be back until she was back from California_

 _She didn't tell anyone about her new situation all over the weekend, they needed head space for this mega show they were involved in, Adele was as usual brilliant, they had the best time and on Sunday evening as they made their way home Mercy filled them in on the events of the past two weeks before telling them the wedding was off_

" _Are you alright?" Rachel asked as they both hugged her all three crying_

" _That bastard" Santana spat, five minutes later they were all still very upset "Blow out tonight?"_

" _Blow out" they agreed_

 _So Sunday night she stayed at Rachel's at 7am they were still drinking, cussing and crying about the situation "You booked a honeymoon what you going to do?" Rachel asked_

" _I'm still going" Mercy laughed_

" _You know what, stay here forever" Rachel told her seriously "Please stay here forever"_

" _I guess I need to tell our guests and families" she said getting her phone out and making the tearful calls to her parents and his, which he hadn't spoken to before sending a mass message out to all their guests "Done" she said wiping her eyes some two hours later. "Shit" she said looking at her hand where her engagement ring lived "I don't need this any more" she took it off and threw it in her bag_

 _It was Thursday before she went back to the flat to find a message saying he'd be out of town for three weeks so she could stay if she wanted and he hadn't got the guts to tell the family so could she do it "Wimp" she said throwing the note down after screwing it up, now she was depressed, she grabbing a bottle of wine, with glass to find the couch. She didn't know how many drinks she actually had, she wanted to drown everything out, she didn't know how she'd made it to her bed, or when she'd fell asleep but she woke up to her phone ringing "Yes" she answered it saying_

" _I know it's a bad day for you today and you may want to be alone but, I'm here, we're here if you need us" Santana said_

" _Thanks, I got to go pee" she said cutting the call off, and she'd had so many of those calls this Friday morning she just needed to get out. She started packing, planning on leaving anything he'd ever brought her, told her she looked good in, ripped off her, in the flat, raking through her wardrobe she came up on her wedding dress, she cried forever before deciding to take that damn dress back. She got washed dressed and spent another twenty minutes looking for her damn keys_

" _Mercy" Santana said when she answered her phone "Don't forget we booked that spar for tonight"_

" _I know I'm fine, I'll be there" she said putting the phone down "There they are" she said some twenty minutes later when she opened the fridge to put the left over wine back, she grabbed them, grabbed the dress and left the flat_


	2. Chapter 2

**Sam**

Sam pushed the door to the cafe open, dragged himself in and went to the counter "Coffee and a club sandwich please" he ordered before looking round to find a seat, shocked to see Mercy sitting nursing, what looked like a hot drink gone cold "And another of whatever she had" he asked smiling as he waited for the order

"I'll bring them over Sir" the person said, when they noticed he wasn't taking his eyes off the lady, he smiled and went over to her table

"Mercy" he said smiling when her head popped up

"Sam" she smiled "I'm not good company today sorry"

"There's that word again" he told her "May I?" he asked, pointing to the empty chair

"Please" she said watching as he sat "Aren't you supposed to be getting married today?"

"No" he smiled "But I thought you were"

"No" she rested her face on her fists saying

"So what happened" they both said together, laughing

"Ladies first" he said looking at his order coming towards them "I ordered you a hot drink" he told her as the waiter set it down

"If I'm first I say your story first" she laughed

"Okay" he smiled looking at his sandwich, happy it was cold already "Where do I start?" he looked at her asking

"We could take it from the day you brought your suit" she laughed

"That damn thing was doomed" he laughed as he took a sip of his drink and started his account of events

"I'd finally brought the suit as you know I mean commitment made, wobble over, and I'd agreed to do everything her way, the expensive way, I'd told you how I felt about you and we'd agreed it was jitters and seriously I took that" he finally looked at her saying

So I got home, she wasn't there, I knew that so I put my suit in the back of our wardrobe and waited, I can't lie I was pleased with myself" he smiled

" _Hi" she said going in for a kiss as she walked in, it had been two days since we'd seen each other and now she was going to have to back the lies up that she'd told "Sam before you say anything, I missed my GP appointment, I plan on doing it next week" she sat down telling me_

" _Have you brought your dress?"_

" _Well I …..."_

" _Have you brought the dress yet?"_

" _Have you changed the venue and the food"_

" _I did that today"_

" _So where is it now?"_

" _Have you brought the dress yet?"_

" _No Sam I'm thinking"_

" _Thinking?" he laughed nervously "You asked me, what the fuck are you thinking about?"_

" _Settling down I... I don't know that I'm ready for settling down, my jobs just getting interesting, travel is through the roof right now, I just feel like there's so much more out there for me"_

" _I'm not stopping you from doing any of that"_

" _Not now but Mom's right, it's marriage, home, family and then that's the end of my life as I love it, I don't want it to change"_

" _We can wait for all that till we're both ready" he said tears coming to his eyes "Don't do this please, I've made plans, paid money, told people"_

" _I'm sorry Sam but that's just how I feel"_

" _Sleep on it we'll talk about tomorrow"_

" _I'm going away again tonight for a week, we'll talk when I get back"_

" _When did that come up?"_

" _You see what I mean, I don't want to have to run everything by someone before I take up a damn opportunity" she shouted_

" _That's just common courtesy, we live together for fuck sake surely you'd be asking me if you didn't see me for a damn day" he blew out angry now "Just say you don't want this and we'll get on with our lives"_

" _It's not that I don't want this Sam I love you, I just..." she looked around the room "I just don't want it now"_

" _Okay" he sat down saying as he watched her get her things together for a week away_

"I just couldn't believe she'd be feeling the way I was feeling right then and want to go off to some jolly, and I know she said it was work but, it don't come that quick, it wasn't work"

"So why did you let her go?"

"Because I have no intention of making someone stay with me if they don't want to"

"So what happened next?"

" _I sat on my couch getting good and mad about the whole thing, that fact that she could lie so easily, that she didn't love me as much as I loved her, that fact that the signs where there and I refused to see them for most of our damn life together"_ he smiled "I got good and mad" he laughed "Have you seen waiting to exhale?"

"Yeah"

"You know the part when Bernadine says 'Take your shit, Take your shit?' " he asked giggling

"Yeah" Mercy giggled

"That was me" he laughed "I was running round the flat just after she left throwing her stuff around telling her to take it, I think I felt like a fool, my boss had told me months before something was wrong, told me to speak to her but we just shouted at each other and left it stewing"

"So what happened when she got back?"

"God" he slid back in the chair saying rubbing the back of his neck "This is embarrassing" he said his face red "Well she came back and I guess we missed each other more than I thought we had, I mean I still loved her and everything" he looked at Mercy saying "We fell into bed, and stayed there for two whole days, we hadn't done that for I don't know how long" he smiled "Then on day two she drops the bomb"

" _Sam this doesn't change anything, I still don't want to marry you, I'm sorry" she said laying in my arms in bed_

" _Classic" I said pulling myself from underneath her and I don't know what made me do it, well I do, I wasn't going to be her damn fool any more so I gave her an ultimatum, we get married on Friday or that's it"_

" _What do you mean that's it, I just told you I still love you, we spent two damn days in bed, now you're trying to tell me this doesn't mean anything?" she jumped up asking_

" _Marriage means something to me, commitment means something, Friday means something"_

" _And I told you already I'm no..."_

" _You're not ready for that, but I am, I guess we want different things"_

" _I guess we do" she looked at me saying_

" _So I'm going to tell my folks and I guess you'll be gone by the time I get back" I said walking out saying_

"I didn't get back till last night and when I walked in she'd removed all evidence of herself, my friends came round and we had a session, I mean a session, I didn't even know my own damn name" he laughed "This morning I got up and all I wanted to do was get rid of that damn suit so I brought it back" he laughed "So what about you?" he picked his sandwich up asking

Mercy told him her story, they laughed, apologised and asked questions all the way through "So that was my tragedy only now I'm sort of happy about it"

"Happy?"

"Well yeah I talked it through with a friend and I'm in a good place" she smiled

"Me too" he laughed cocking his ear as he heard a familiar voice over the radio "James" he smiled

 _So come on, let it go, just let it be, why don't you be you, and I'll be me?  
Everything that's broke, leave it to the breeze, why don't you be you, and I'll be me? And I'll be me_

"He's got a point" she laughed

"Do you want to share my sandwich?"

"Yeah" she said taking the uneaten half "I know I laugh about this now but seriously, it's going to take a while to get over it"

"I know we invested in these people"

 **6pm**

"Well it would have all been over now" she looked at the clock saying

"Did you turn yours off too?" he asked looking at his phone

"Yeah" she laughed "I'd had nearly twenty calls before 9 this morning"

"I just wanted some down time"

"I guess eight hours is enough" she laughed "I've got a date with my girls tonight, got to get ready" she smiled "Sorry I've got to go"

"Me too, I've got a stack of wedding food to eat" he laughed

"What you didn't cancel?"

"I did but Joe's got me over a barrel, he bet it wouldn't happen and I said I'd eat two wedding dinners if he was right" he laughed "I guess my boys will be waiting for me" he got up saying "Thanks for the ear"

"No thank you, stay in touch" she said giving him her phone as she turned it on, he punched his number in and called his phone

"Will do" he said walking away to open the door for her to leave "Remember, James Bay" he told her, giving a hug which she took

"Bye" they laughed, and went about their lives

 **That Night**

Mercy had walked away from that hug knowing she was leaving something behind, but shit she'd just brought her wedding dress back to the shop for crying out loud, this was her supposed to be wedding day how the hell is she thinking about getting with some random, who she didn't want to be a rebound, she shook her head and carried on to her car. She found herself giggling as she sat trying to find the ignition, what the hell was this "Okay" she told herself trying to stop her giggle "Some guy listened to your shit on your wedding day and you feel ….." she had nothing to finish that sentence with "You feel ….. comfortable with that?" she asked herself "I feel happy fuck I feel happy" she thought as she heard her phone ring and knew it was Santana

"Hi" she picked up saying "Yes I'm fine, I will later, I'm going to get dressed now" she said finally cutting the call off

"Are you alright girl?" Santana asked when they finally met up that evening "Blow the fuck out, you know this right?"

"You know it" Mercy laughed

"Chirpy" Rachel laughed

They went to the spa evening, had the usual meal, massage, bath and usual cures before leaving at 11pm for the club, slamming down like every other group in the place with cheers and very loud fuck him conversations "Lets sing" Mercy jumped up saying

"No we do that shit for a living, rest I say" Rachel laughed

"I want to sing" she said stumbling over to the DJ "Can I sing?" she asked as Rachel and Santana covered their faces

"Mercy it's not even a karaoke bar" Santana shouted after her

"No problem" the DJ smiled, ready for the show she was going to make of herself

"Cut her some slack" Rachel shouted finally deciding to defend her friend "It was supposed to be her wedding day today" Mercy's head popped up like she was going to say something but obviously decided that she'd told the truth and left it

Considering how intoxicated Mercy was when she started singing her voice was clear enough to make everyone stand and listen as she sung _'_ _ **Scars' by James Bay**_

Sam was standing wondering what the hell just happened a innocent hug turned into something within seconds, he let her go, he had to but as soon as he did it he knew something had changed for him, he put it down to the fact that he'd not had someone actually listen to him for such a long time he'd made some connection with her, he started to walk away after she turned the corner, kicking imaginary stones on the pavement as he walked to his car _'Seriously are you thinking about another woman on your damn wedding day'_ he smiled asking himself "It's not actually your wedding day you didn't do it" _'It was her wedding day too, and your thinking about tapping that on her damn wedding day, wrong Evans you are so wrong'_ he giggled jumping in his jeep and heading to Joe's

"Finally" Mike said as he walked into Joe's "We thought you'd forgotten the bet" he laughed

"No, I didn't forget" he laughed

"You seem in a better place than you were last night"

"I guess I am" he said surprised himself that his mood had lifted and he didn't really feel anything about his failed marriage not marriage thing

"Sam" Joe came out saying "I won Dude so I guess it's everything twice" he told him calling for the waitress to bring the food out

Sam sat waiting expecting a Flintstone size meal twice and was shocked when he saw two of his favourite Grilled Ribs sitting on a plate "is this the challenge?" he asked smiling

"Boy, I couldn't say it before but being with your girl for so long was punishment enough, I guess she was waiting for the sale of the garage" he laughed

"She wasn't like that" Sam laughed

"Don't even defend it Bro" Mike told him and he shut up

"But as well as that you could give me one of your songs" Joe asked

"I can do that" he told him digging into his meal, when he eventually finished he asked for the guitar and sung _**'Scars' by James Bay**_

 _ **Sam & Mercy**_

 _You're setting off, it's time to go, the engine's running, my mind is lost,  
We always knew this day was coming, and now it's more, frightening than it's ever gonna be  
We grow apart, I watch you on the red horizon, your lion's heart  
Will protect you under stormy skies, and I will always be listening for your laughter and your tears  
And as soon as I can hold you once again, I won't let go of you, I swear  
We live through scars this time, but I've made up my mind, we can't leave us behind any more_

 _Your hands are cold, your lips are turning blue, you're shaking, this fragile heart,  
So heavy in my chest, it's breaking, and in the dark, you try to make a pay phone call to me  
But you're miles away, you're breaking up, you're on your own, It's hard to take,  
I need an hour just to say hello, and I can't make the truth of this work out for you or me  
And for all the pennies in your pocket, we barely get a second just to speak  
We live through scars this time, but I've made up my mind, we can't leave us behind any more_

 _We'll have to hurt for now, but next time there's no doubt 'cause I can't go without you any more  
Oh, no, no, oh, oh.  
We live through scars this time, but I've made up my mind, no, we can't leave us behind any more  
We'll have to hurt for now, but next time, there's no doubt  
'Cause I can't go without you any more, no, I can't go without you any more _

"That just fits my life just now" she smiled, shocked when she realised she was singing that last bit about Sam

"Fitting for the day" he said, failing to tell anyone he was singing about a chat and a hug he'd had with Mercy

 **6 Months Later**

Sam and Mercy had spoken on the phone about four times, they'd plunged into their work, Mercy was free and booking sessions left, right and centre, Sam was getting those thousand hours in on the Chevy his goal was to get it ready before the end of April, that would have been a year since they started working on it, Kurt and Blaine had moved in together and Bert was spending just as much time as him on the car. "We need a life" Sam laughed

"You need a life I'm supposed to be slowing down" Bert laughed looking at him as he spoke "Sam don't take this wrong but..." he stopped working to ask "Did she put you off, dating I mean?" he took his gloves off asking "Because you know their not all like her don't you?"

"I know, I'm just working her out my system, I don't want to do the rebound thing, it's not fair"

"You're right"

He didn't think it was right to be telling Bert about conversations with Mercy, they'd got past hello, of course they had, but they were very much in the friend zone on this thing right now she was still crying about her long lost love and he was, in fairness still missing his runaway bride, they'd invested. The last conversation they'd had they talked about getting into their work and taking the year to get over what they'd been through, building some resilience before they sent their hearts out there again. Mercy had gone on a world tour with Chris Brown just days after the wedding day and she was super excited about that, he was happy for her and told her he'd follow her on social media, which he did with a call every now and again. At some point between that conversation and his current one he'd found himself waiting for something that hadn't been promised, but he was used to living in hope, he knew what he'd felt in that wedding shop nearly ten months ago and if he couldn't find anything like that again there was no point, he'd had a call from a friend and he had something else to call her for, that was going to happen tonight, when he rechecked her schedule

The girls were having fun, everywhere they looked some guy was trying to get into them, they knew it was more than worth their job to get involved with the groupie thing and kept as far away from it as they could. As usual when they were on tour they stuck to each other like glue, if one of them agreed to a drink and a chat everyone's diary was full, it kept them safe and working. Chris' script was hot they felt all kinds of sexy out there on the stage, he was playful too, making every night enjoyable, the crew quickly caught on that they weren't to be messed with and even became sort of protective towards them. Mercy had got Sam to agree to take time out for themselves, not that they were in each others pockets or anything but she felt she could have easily been, he was so easy to talk to, she got excited about having this secret that no one else knew about, if he told her he was going to call she was on tender hooks all day about it. She'd just been jilted, almost at the alter by runaway groom, the last thing she needed was a messy rebound, so of course she'd opted for the friend zone, he seemed happy with that, and that was fine for her just now.

"Mercy" Santana shouted across the table pointing to her phone as they sat in yet another noisy bar, getting served after a brilliant night on stage, Mercy took her phone out and screamed at the news, before showing Rachel 'I'm getting married' Quinn had written '10th May get your dress ready, I've already got mine, Mercy' with a smily face

"Bitch" Mercy said under her breath before she saw Santana's message pop up 'You insensitive bitch'

'Sorry Mercy, maybe too soon for jokes' she wrote back

'Forgiven' Mercy wrote as they looked at each other and smiled

'Congratulations?' Quinn wrote and everyone sent a smily face with kisses

"Shit just 10 days after we get back" Rachel told Mercy alarmed "I've still got my dress from your day, do you mind?"

"No not at all I didn't see it anyway" she said before they danced the night away and suffered for it the following morning. She was laying around in the hotel room when her mobile rang, she was surprised to see Sam's name on the face but answered it anyway leaving the room "Sam" she said trying not to sound enthused

"Mercy I just got a call from a friend this morning and I wondered if you were free to be my plus one?"

"Oh" she smiled down the phone, this was a step she was thinking about that she dare not ask for "When would you want me?"

"Errh 10th May" he told her eagerly

"Sorry Sam I'm busy that day, up until that day actually but anything after that I'd be happy to be your plus one" she said genuinely hurt for having to reject him after all this wait

"Okay" he laughed "Just don't say I never ask" he told her "And you used our word again"

"I didn't even realise sorry" she said again making them both laugh "My head actually hurts, I'm nursing a hangover" she told him holding her head

"Poor baby" he purred

"We should plan to meet up on the 11th just have a drink and a proper catch up"

"Sounds like a plan" he chuckled "I'll let you get on nursing that head"

"Okay the 11th then?"

"In my diary, bye"

"Bye babe" she said putting the phone down

 _'Bye babe'_ he thought as he held the dead phone in his hand unsure, if it was a slip of the tongue, a habit formed or something she meant

"Did I just call him babe?" she asked out loud as she looked at the phone "Maybe that's what I meant" she smiled before frowning for having to miss his plus one date

 **10** **th** **May**

Sam woke up in two moods, happy his friend was getting married, angry because he'd waited until yesterday to tell him that she was going to be there, being a friend of the groom's sister, he'd have to behave himself and smile at her like they were still friends for the day because everyone would be watching. _If she'd ever thought anything about him she'd keep away_ he jumped out of his sleep thinking "Maybe there's still something there if I'm waking up thinking about the woman" he looked around thinking "Thank god Mercy rejected my damn offer"

"Come on Dude get a move on, get dressed" Blaine shouted in his face alerting him to the fact that he was day dreaming, he jumped up knowing time was the enemy

Mercy and the girls had been up most the night with Quinn, massive meltdown at the club last night, she'd kissed some guy in the club as part of her bride bucket list and then announced he was a better kisser than Noah. Some guy had supposedly videoed her saying it and she was convinced it was going to go global, she'd told her version of how things were going to go with Noah walking out calling her all the names under the sun so she'd refused to go to church for that to happen.

It was about 5am when Rachel had just about had enough of her crap, slapped her so hard she cried herself to sleep, sleep had lasted just three hours and now they were back up listening to her again "Quinn" Santana shouted holding her head "Are you going to marry this damn man or not?"

"Yeah I guess" she cried

"Well come on lets get dressed and go get your man" she laughed "Tell him in the middle of wedding sex or something" she suggested

 **The Church**

"Okay" Blaine shouted across the church car park "Kurt take Puck in, we'll stay out here when we come in the bride's here" he fanned them inside saying

"Fuck" Sam rolled his eyes saying, Blaine looked at him and followed his line of sight to see Brodie "Hi" he smiled as she came towards him _please don't kiss me_ he thought

"Sam" Marley told me you were going to be here, we've not seen each other for nearly a year" she walked up to him saying as if she hadn't broken his heart that day back in August, he pulled back when she tried to move to him, she just smiled and stepped back "Do you need closure?" she asked

"It's closed" he waved his hands saying

"Okay" she said hugging him anyway, he was so angry right then, but he'd loved this woman for nearly four years and shit like that doesn't just go away, he hugged her back, they stood there in that comfortable place

"Shit they're here" Blaine looked at him saying as his head shot up, Brodie still attached to him and done double take as he looked into the eyes of Mercy

"Mer..." he said pushing Brodie off him, but she just moved to the side still attached

"We've got to go in" Blaine pulled him saying, as they turned and made for the church steps, Brodie grabbed his arm and ran with them, stopping at the top to look back at Mercy

"Oh shit" Quinn stepped out the car saying "I thought he'd got rid of that bloody leech"

"What leech?" Rachel stepped out the car asking as they all stood looking at two guys and a girl standing at the bottom of the church steps

"Oh Brodie, she was marrying Noah's best man last year, dumped him because he wasn't rich enough or something, word is she wants him back" Quinn told them, Mercy stood stunned looking at this girl wrapped around Sam, her heart sank, this wasn't the time to be talking broken hearts with her best friend standing in her wedding dress at the church, she put her face on and carried on

Of course before the reception started they were all introduced, Mercy didn't let on she knew Sam, actually she didn't get the chance that woman was attached to him the whole day. At one point during the evening her phone rang, she looked at it to see Sam's name on it and everything in her wanted to answer it, but if there was just the slightest chance he still wanted his ex she had no intention of standing in the way of that. She looked around and rejected the call, Sam sat at his table watching her reject it.

The bride and groom finally left the venue, and soon after Mercy said her good nights and left too "Where's your friend?" Sam finally asked Santana

"Oh she's gone home, weddings are not really her thing" she told him as Rachel pulled her away to go talk to some guests

 **11** **th** **May**

Mercy lay around Rachel's flat thinking she needed to move on, sort herself out, get her own place and maybe let a man take her out for something to eat, she'd made her mind up last night she wasn't going to the cafe for any sort of meeting with Sam, that was a closed subject, life was too short and if she could squash feelings for Anthony she could definitely erase Sam. She hadn't said a time, and maybe this day would have gone better if she had, because all day she was on hot bricks waiting for his call to confirm, just so she could blow him off, he didn't call

Sam had fell asleep with Brodie in his arms, on his bed, in his flat and woke up smiling, it was the 11th and he'd had a date with Mercy _shit_ he looked to the side of him saying to himself _this wasn't Mercy, that date didn't happen, they hadn't hit it off big time and ended up in his bed_ "Brodie" he shook her saying "Wake up" he said a bit louder breathing heavy when he looked down to see them both fully dressed, and on top of the sheets

"Sam" she smiled as she moved to his voice "We got through a lot last night"

"No we didn't you need to go home, this whatever it is, isn't going back there" he pulled up from beside her saying "And I've got somewhere I need to be"

"Why did you let me come back here then?"

"You talked your way in like you always do, I've moved on Brodie and you need to too, I loved you once I can't lie, but we'll never be there again" he said looking around for his phone "Where's my phone?" he finally asked her, she didn't answer, she didn't know "Look you need to go" he told her still searching an hour later she was still following him about the flat talking "Brodie" he shouted "Get out" he stood looking at her saying, watching as she grabbed her bag and banged his door one her way out "Thank you" he pulled his hair back off his face saying. He got dressed and made his way to the garage to see Bert "I left my phone somewhere, I need to borrow the work one for a few days"

"Fine but call me back with any jobs that come in or better still you take any jobs that come in" he laughed as he gave him the phone, it was only when he had it in his hand, he realised it wouldn't have Mercy's number in it, he was going to miss their date

"Where's Blaine?" he asked Bert

"They've gone to the theatre, they'll be back about 1am they said"

"Okay" he said leaving for the cafe to sit and wait just in case, it must have been 6pm when he finally gave up and went home, she hadn't turned up. Two days later Blaine turned up with his mobile, it had been handed in at the wedding venue and passed though Puck's family back to him, he charged it up and called Mercy but she didn't pick up

 **2 Months Later**

There had been no phone conversation, no texts nothing for two months, he was past frustrated with the situation, he'd lost something and it was a strange feeling because he didn't actually know what it was he'd lost 'Could you give me an idea of what it is we're arguing about?' he finally caved in and wrote to her sitting looking at it for an answer for a while before he finally pressed send

'Sorry, are we arguing I thought you needed space' she wrote back ten minutes later

'Space for?'

'Trying again, I heard she wanted to try again'

'She wanted a lot, you could have asked what I wanted instead of standing me up'

'What do you want'

'Food and good conversation with a friend'

'Get the food and conversation and I'll be there' she wrote with a smily face

'Seriously that's a date, when can you get here?'

'Next Friday maybe, is that good for you?' '7pm Flavours'

'In my diary'

Look forward to it' she wrote with a smily face

 **The Dinner Date**

Mercy sat waiting in the restaurant, she'd been working close by, got dressed at work and left saying she needed to get home for a delivery, she picked her bag up and went to the ladies room "Every girl needs to do a last check" she smiled as she walked off "Mr Evans remember" she told the waitress as she passed her

Sam walked into the restaurant and looked round for Mercy, his heart sank when he didn't see her but he was maybe five minutes early so he went to sit at the bar "Can I help you Sir?" the waitress asked

"I'm waiting for a date" he smiled at her carrying on to the bar

"Your name Sir?"

"Mr Evans, Sam Evans" he looked at her trying to make out why she needed to know that

"Oh your tables over here Sir"

I have a table?" he smiled, she just smiled back and walked him to the table

"Sam" Mercy came to the table saying "I was just in the bathroom" she looked at him smiling

"Mercy" he jumped up saying leaning over to her for a cheek kiss which finished when he was standing next to her "Sorry" he said when he realised he'd lingered with it, she giggled

"Our word again" she sat down saying as he found his way round to his seat "So, what's Sam been up to?" she asked

"Fixing cars, kicking the ex out of his life and preparing his heart for pastures new" he smiled

"So what you think your heart's ready?"

"I think it is, I want it to be"

"Oh someone in mind?" she giggled

"I wouldn't be so forward" he laughed "And you, what have you been up to?"

"Work" she laughed "Trying to block out some feelings, find myself, lose myself and I like the thought of preparing my heart for love again, someone in mind? Can I take the fifth on that?" she laughed

"We both need to take the fifth" he laughed "So we going to order" he asked calling the waiter "Yeah could we have two..." he asked looking at Mercy for her order

"White wine spritzer" she said

"Two of those" he smiled "And I'll have a stake with all the trimmings"

"I'll have a stake with salad please" Mercy added as they sat and talked the evening away, talking about everything and nothing "Every time we eat together this man invades our space" she smiled cocking her ear to listen to _**'Let it Go' by James Bay**_

"His music just talks to you though don't you think?" he laughed "I'm sure he was telling us the same thing last time"

"Too much of the time" she laughed as they sat listening to the familiar words, eating their meal, basking in each others company

 _So come on, let it go, just let it be, why don't you be you, and I'll be me?  
Everything that's broke, leave it to the breeze, why don't you be you, and I'll be me? and I'll be me_

"I'll take that" he said looking up at her

"Take?" she asked

"I'll be me, no secrets, I'm letting it go" he smiled "I told you this before but I don't think you were hearing me, so I'll say it again, do you think you can hear me this time?"

"I'm listening" she looked at him saying

"Since I first saw you, I've looked for you everywhere, I go places looking for you, I think about you, I hope that maybe I'll get to see you and every time I do I have to catch my breath, my hands sweat, my motion stops, I can't think, seeing you, talking to you"

She joined in with him finishing his words "I think about touching you, you touching me, I live in this world of anticipation is that normal?" they asked each other, brown eyes meeting green so intensely they both blushed

"You heard me?" he finally smiled

"I felt you, I was there too, but we were in love with other people"

"I wasn't, I'd just told you I was in love with you"

She looked at him for the longest time, her mind jumping through a thousand no's trying to get that word out of her month, surprising herself when all that came out was "I want to let it go, I want to be me with you" he grabbed her hand and looked around the room, smiling at their confession

"Should we get out of here?"

"I don't know my girls might be out tonight, I don't really need to bump into them" she smiled awkwardly

"I didn't know you wanted to keep things a secret"

"What do you mean secret, there's nothing to keep secret?"

"That last statement of yours just told me that that's bull shit and you know it, we clearly have feelings for each other"

"Do we?" she giggled

"Mercy I wish you would open your eyes and see that we're perfect for each other"

"I'm warming to that" she grabbed his arm saying "You don't know my friends I just want to keep this to myself for a while nothing underhanded"

"Come on we're getting out of here" he threw money on the table and held his hand out saying, she looked at his hand for a few seconds before grabbing it and getting up with him, smiling

"Hi" he said as he pushed the door to see Kurt and Blaine standing on the other side of it "I was just... Hi" he smiled "This is Mercy my secret date tonight" he laughed

"Hi Mercy" Kurt said raising his eyebrow in question "You were at Puck's wedding" he asked but told her

"Yes I was" she smiled "Hi"

"Sorry" he looked at her saying "Blaine and Kurt" he pointed to them saying "And guys this is …."

"Yeah you already said Mercy" Blaine reminded him

"Yeah sorry" he said again as Blaine looked at him puzzled "We er, we just went on our first date" he smiled "And she's off home now" he looked at her saying "Yeah I was just walking her to her car" he looked at her again saying, begging her to take the bait

"So yeah" she looked at Blaine and Kurt saying "I was just saying, thanks for the meal, my cars here" she told him pointing at her car almost in front of the restaurant doors "So thanks again" she said fidgeting in her bag for her keys, opening the door before she smiled at everyone jumped in and she was off

"What was that about?" Kurt asked him as they stood watching her drive off

"You guys caught me off guard, all I could see was Brodie making a fucking scene and I panicked"

"Wrong time to panic Dude" Blaine told him, as he watched him taking his phone out "Don't bother to call her she's driving"

He put his phone away defeated, he'd built up to that moment, he was taking her out there for some privacy, he needed to kiss her to seal the deal, they'd just spent the evening telling each other to let go of the past, that they were in and at the first hurdle he folds. He was so angry he could have easily smashed something maybe his own head up against that brick wall he was always building for himself, making his life ten times harder then it ever needed to be.

"Sam" Blaine said looking at him trying to get his attention "Sam" he shouted

"What?" he finally looked at him asking

"Where are you Dude?"

"What's up" he looked at them asking frustrated

"We said we're getting married"

"Congratulations" he said too flatly, frankly he was fed up of damn weddings, all his friends were finding it, maybe that's why he jumped on that wagon with Brodie

"You didn't hear all of it did you?" Kurt asked

"You're getting married" he relayed back to them, looking at them now Mercy's car was out of sight

"On the 10th August Dude it's the only date we could get"

"That's fine" he finally tapped Blaine's shoulder saying "Old news, can I bring a plus one?"

"Sure" Kurt said as Sam went in to hug him too

Mercy was driving home banging the damn wheel harder than she was driving the gas if that was possible, she'd spent the whole night convincing herself she was ready for this, even admitted to him that she was ready, then done this stupid secrecy thing, _'What the fuck was that about, your a grown woman, what's the secret?'._ She didn't think he'd agreed to it but when they got outside and saw his friends, her conversation had forced him into acting the way he did, she had no option but to go along with it, she was so planning on getting on those damn lips she could taste it "Why does one plus always end with two fucking minuses for m..." she was stopped by her phone ringing she pressed speaker and shouted "Rachel what's up?

"I got us a gig with fucking Usher can you believe that?" she screamed down the phone

"He's alright" Mercy said calmly before letting out the biggest scream "I'm on my way home already see you in a bit" she clicked the call off saying "And then a giant plus" she banged the wheel saying the smile already back on her face. "Where is it?" she asked before she even shut the door, looking at Santana and Rachel sitting with glasses in their hands

"Europe for two weeks" Rachel laughed "We love that place" she said holding a full glass out for Mercy to take

"We love that place" she said holding the glass up before taking a sip of the contents

"So where's that parcel you came back for we didn't see anything when we came in?" Santana asked

Mercy knew that girl was brewing for something she'd been too quiet "It didn't get here I called the company about the delay" she lied

"Mercy Jones" she jumped up saying "I can spot a lie from you with your damn back turned, what you up to?"

"Nothing Santana nosey Lopez" she replied sitting down and taking another sip

"Here have some more" Rachel poured in her glass looking at Santana as she poured into Mercy's glass

"Okay I had a date with this guy, he's nice, I like him actually and well we're having a hard time figuring out what we actually have so until we do, I'm keeping things low key" she finally told them "I'm not up for answering questions just yet, but as soon as we agree what this is, I'll give you all the information you guys need" she smiled "And that was with no drink at all" she said before taking another sip of her glass, taking her phone out and sending a message to Sam 'Sorry, no secrets, I'm letting go'

'Me too, will you be my plus one on 10th August?'

"When are we finishing this tour guys?" she asked Rachel and Santana

"6th August" Santana told her

'Yes back on 6th love to be your plus one, will need to shop though, what colour?'

'Beautiful' he sent back with a smiling face, making her smile

"Smitten" Rachel laughed as they watched her with the phone, communicating with mystery guy

"So Glitz, we have four days in the studio before take off, two rest days and 10 full shows, you know the drill" Santana jumped up saying "Last drink" she threw it down her throat saying, the next morning they were in work mode

'I'm going on the road, speak to you on 7th but thinking of you every day' she sent to Sam before she got out of bed, their thing was total focus once they'd got a gig and this one was big, surprised when she got a message back straight away, she smiled

'Break a leg, 7th ' she read and took a minute with that before getting out of bed

 **7** **th** **August**

'Come to me' he texted her following her message telling him she was back, with his work address attached

'20 minutes' she'd replied and now he was on tender hooks to tell Bert about his new relationship, kicking himself for not coming clean months ago

"So Bert" he said rubbing the back of his neck "I em... well I've been seeing this gi..."

"Finally" Bert smiled "Kurt told me ages ago but, I wanted you to tell me" he laughed "I hear she's beautiful"

"She is" he laughed "Her name's Mercy Jones and she sings for a living, which means a lot of time away but honestly, she's worth it"

"What you feel like she could be the one?" Bert asked concerned "Already?"

"That's kind of what I need to come clean about" he smiled nervously "I've got to tell someone before I burst" he sat down saying Bert following him and doing the same "remember the girl I told you about when Brodie and I were, whatever the hell we thought we were doing?" he asked him "The eyes that made me stop"

"Yeah"

"Well that's Mercy, she's that girl and we didn't do anything about it then and to be honest other than a meal twice in almost a year, we've done nothing about it, we've both been trying to mend broken hearts without the confusion" he smiled "But now I guess, I'm going to tell her I'm ready"

"Ready for?"

"A relationship I guess" he smiled still nervous "She'll be here in a bit" he looked around saying "I'm sure for a while we both cared about what our ex's thought, but I'm so over that now, I just need to start living my life"

"I'm sure your right Sam, and I'm happy you've moved on but please don't settle for second best"

"I assure you Bert, no way is she second best, she's the reason I didn't marry Brodie in the first place now that would have been second best" he laughed

"I'm sure your parents would have been proud Sam" he got up patting his shoulder saying "Come here" he pulled him in saying giving him a proper hug "So she'll be here in a bit and you look like this?"

"I'm sort of hoping she won't care"

"We'll see" he laughed

10 minutes later her car pulled up on the forecourt as Bert and Sam stood watching her get out the car and walk towards the building before he took a step "I can't move" he told Bert who pushing him off his spot and then he was travelling on gas towards her, wishing he'd spent that twenty minutes getting washed, changed and smelling right, seconds later all that had drifted into insignificance as their eyes met "Mercy" he smiled as they stood looking at each other

"Sam" she smiled back at him before walking towards him and falling into his arms

"I've got oil all over me" he tried to pull away saying

"Its good for my skin" she smiled as she lay on his chest drinking him in "So lets see a master at work then" she finally pulled up off him saying aware there was someone in the shop watching

"Okay" he turned saying introducing her to Bert, later Kurt and Blaine came back and all five sat chatting into early evening until Bert announced he was throwing a BBQ back at the house for her. They drove the five minutes out to his cabin like house on the lake, beautiful scenery, privacy and comfort and considering she'd never really known it for so many years now she felt at home with this group of strangers and protected by Sam

"I need to get back" she finally announced as night started to fall "They'll be sending a search party"

"Do you need me to follow you back?" Sam asked

"No I'll be fine" she got up saying as he got up and followed her anyway "I love your family" she told him as they walked

"I think they feel the same about you" he told her rubbing the back of his neck willing himself to say the next thing "So I'm just going to say this and we can deal with the fall out" he spun her round saying as they got to the car, his eyes closed "I'm ready for this to be something, something special that is" he opened his eyes at the end to see her response

"I'm thinking I may be somewhere near there too?" she asked him

"Just near there?"

"Very near there, too near there" she smiled "Maybe it's because I haven't seen Anthony again yet, I don't know, but truly the aim is to move on"

"Can I go find Anthony so I can get out of this agony I'm in?" he laughed

She laughed too "actually I know where he lives, so I guess I'm going to make a visit, soon before the wedding" she promised "I'll see you tomorrow at noon then?"

"You will?" he asked

"Yeah The Wedding Shop" she smiled "For my dress?"

"Dress?"he asked his eyes popping out his head as he tried to recollect when he'd proposed

"The wedding on the 10th am I still coming?"

"God yeah" he held his chest saying "Noon for the dress" he said rolling his eyes as he watched her getting into her car, slapping himself for missing another opportunity to kiss her, he stood waving coming down from his hyperventilation

 **8** **th** **August**

"Hi" she walked up to him saying

"Hi" he smiled back as the shop door opened it was Tony standing smiling

"Good afternoon" he smiled as they looked in at him

"Hi Tony" they both smiled Sam allowing her to step in before him

"I've come to get a dress for a wedding not mine this time" she laughed

"And I've come to collect the suits" he said as she looked round at him

"Yes Mercedes do you want to browse?" Tony asked

"No not really I know the one I want actually" she smiled at Sam saying

"I'm guessing I know that too" he laughed

"Go get it then" she dared surprised when he stepped off and came back minutes later with the dress they'd both grabbed the first time they saw each others eyes "How did you know?" she smiled

"You didn't say you didn't like it, just that you were looking for a wedding dress"

"Listens and observant too" she cocked her head saying impressed "Listen, I'm going to see Anthony after this, and I'm not saying it as a this is it kind of thing, I'm just letting you know, so you know what I'm doing, I expect it to be a long one, but nothing meaningful"

"The suits" Tony came out with three suits draped across his arm giving them to Sam "And you Mercy, have you seen anything?"

"Yeah I want this one please Tony" she told him putting the dress on the hook to be cased up as she paid and they left the shop

"Can we get a coffee" Sam asked as they stepped out

"A coffee?"

"Yeah and a chat"

"Twenty minutes" she looked at him saying, they put their clothes in their cars and made their way round the corner to their usual cafe

"Okay" he said as they settled down with their orders "I just feel like I needed to explain... is that what I mean? No I just need to tell you" he finally looked up at her saying "That day of the wedding when you saw me with Brodie" he looked around saying "Apparently she wanted things back on track, that wasn't what I was looking for, but if you knew her you'd know she always attaches herself and that's what she did" he smiled "There was never anything going on for us after the break up"

"That's fine" she smiled sipping her drink

"There's more" he looked around saying "I woke up with her in my bed the following morning" he took a breath and looked into Mercy's eyes staring blankly across the table at him

"So you think I'm going over there to sleep with Anthony?" she asked slamming her drink down on the table

"No, No I didn't sleep with Brodie" he quickly added "But it maybe got as far as us laying on the bed fully clothed before I knew for sure she wasn't it for me, ever again, and I felt ashamed to talk about that with you after it happened hence the long silence" he smiled "But I want you to know the second you get out of there, whatever it is you feel you need to do I'm here" he said holding his phone up

"You're so sweet Sam but Anthony's a pussy cat"

"I'm not saying anything different, just that there's a pain that comes with realisation, and if you need me, I'm there"

"Thanks" she said finally looking at her phone too "Times up" she smiled "I'll see you on the 10th speak sooner if I need to" she walked away saying "Bye"

"Bye" he sat at the table saying watching her walk out yet again without getting that kiss he needed, he wasn't really pushing for that right now anyway, she needed to know for sure and he refused to do anything to cloud that decision

 **Mercy**

Twenty minutes later she was sat outside her old building looking up at the lights on in her old flat, she got out the car, took a breath and entered the building, this needed to be done, she found herself needing closure, she knocked the door and Anthony was there is seconds "Mercy" he answered the door saying shock in his voice

"Anthony" she smiled walking in, he was still as handsome as ever, still so desirable but not fuckable, that urge had gone and she knew that within seconds of seeing his face "Nice to see you" she spun round saying "Can we talk?"

"Sure" he said pointing to the familiar couch "I've got an engagement at 7 but I'm free till then"

"Great" she said as she watched him get their drinks and settle in before she started at where she thought things went wrong, where she'd been since they'd split and where she was heading, smiling at the fact that it wasn't Anthony's love she was missing it was her best friend "I think I'm ready to find another best friend Ant" she smiled at him

"That's fine, I've had a few, if you know what I mean" he laughed

"I knew you were always a dog" she slapped him with the cushion saying

"Never while I was with you, I promised that"

"Thanks" she said jumping up "I have a wedding to sort myself out for, I'm a plus one" she laughed "Thanks for the closure" she hugged him saying as she grabbed her bag "You're going to be late it's after six"

"Enjoy life Mercy, that's what it's all about" he hugged her saying

"You too" and then she was gone, a hundred pounds lighter 'I feel free' she texted Sam as she went down the stairs

'Free?'

'To do what I want to do' she wrote with a smiling face 'See you at the wedding'

 **10** **th** **August**

"Sam" Bert called as he looked down the aisle "Sam come on you're going to hold everything up"

"I was just waiting for Mercy, she'll be here in a second" he answered hearing the wedding song playing, he knew there was no more time he needed to be up front before the grooms got there, he was the best man

"Come on man" Bert rushed him on, defeated he walked in to take his place, getting pats on the shoulder, back, arm, everyone obviously feeling his supposed sadness at being in the church he should have been in a year ago today, he smiled as Kurt came up the aisle followed by Blaine, he patted Blaine's shoulder as he came to stand next to him, Blaine looked at him and nodded behind him, he couldn't catch his breath as he saw Mercy standing next to Bert in that damn dress, he remembered Blaine nudging him for the ring at one point, and smiling at the laugh of the congregation but what it was all about went way over his head, he was somewhere else, he was in a world all of his very own, well with one other person in it. Suddenly Kurt and Blaine were walking back down the aisle, and he knew from practice he should be following them with Bert, he jumped forward and did his duty, looking back at Mercy at every chance he got as people punched, pulled and prodded him like he was the damn groom.

When they got to the reception, he just about got her sat down before he was called to duty again, he was talking, comparing, introducing clapping like everyone else but his eyes were firmly placed on Mercy who was mingling with the people on the table she'd been placed at, she was sitting next to Sam but he was so busy, and she still hadn't made her mind up what she wanted this to be with him, well she had but she hadn't spoken to him about it yet.

Finally it was the dance, end of the formal stuff, he was released from his duties, took a breath and turned to Mercy "Wow, what a day" he smiled "I feel I've neglected you all day" he grabbed her hand saying "When I think it's safe we'll grab a few hours" he smiled as Blaine's Mom came at him from the other direction asking for a dance to join the couple, he felt obligated to, being the next best thing to a second son she had, he rolled his eyes made his excuses to a laughing Mercy and left to march her around the floor

"Right" he sat back down saying "Nothing is moving me now, do you need a drink or something?"

"Another drink would be nice"

"Come on then, we can use the opportunity" he grabbed her hand saying as she jumped up to follow him, they grabbed drinks and made their way out to the very large patio, people dotted around, the music dull enough to allow you to talk where they stood "So" he looked at her saying

"It''s been a lovely day, Bert's kept me company and told he who's who and everything" she laughed

"That was my job" he frowned

"You had a job, a very important job, which you did very well I might add" she smiled

"Thank you" he looked in her eyes saying

"I made a decision" she looked back at him saying, his breath stopped, he needed to hear it but did he want to hear it "I want a new best friend" she smiled "And I guess you're him"

"Friend?" he asked deflated

"Yeah" she smiled "My friend, you know someone I can call on for conversations, arguments, laughter, to cry on, love and all that you know, the one person that knows everything about me, understands me, what my body likes, wants to be with me, and has the ability to be faithful, true and kind"

"Yeah I could do that" he smiled

"Wait I missed something" she walked up to him saying, looking into his eyes, before cupping his face to bring it down to meet hers, he watched as she closed her eyes and pulled him for a kiss, it didn't last for long just enough for him to know what she was saying "To kiss you too" she giggled when he finally opened his eyes to see her still looking at him

"I can do that" he smiled pulling her back to him as they wrapped into each other and their lips found each other again "I could do a lot of this" he laughed

"Will you be my boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend? I'm planning on going back to The Wedding Shop with you at some point, yes" he smiled "Oh this is an omen, it has to be an omen" he laughed

"What?"

"Listen" he told her as they stood on the patio, she laughed as she heard **'If You Ever Want To Be In Love' by James Bay** blasted out "We have to dance" he pulled her towards the reception saying, they found the dance floor and danced for a while before they started singing to each other

 _I'll come around, if you ever want to be in love, I'm not waiting, but I'm willing if you call me up,_

 _I'll come around, if you ever want to be in love, I'm not waiting, but I'm willing if you call me up  
If you ever want to be in love, I'll come around _

He finally pulled her in and kissed her, when the song finished, at some point they heard clapping, looked up and saw people were clapping them, they smiled "Our first public kiss" he laughed into her neck

"Thank you wedding shop" she rolled her eyes saying

The End


	3. Chapter 3

"Sam I'm so happy for you guys, you deserve some happiness" Blaine tapped his back saying, all he could do was smile

"Let's get out of here" he pulled her with him saying "So" he huffed a short while later as they sat in her car watching the festivities "We're official" he smiled "14 months after we first met, you know our relationship started that day for me right?" he laughed

"Please don't tell me I was the reason you and Brodie split up"

"No" he laughed "Brodie and I were the reason we split up" he grinned "Speaking of which, sorry in advance for her drama"

"No issues with Anthony I'm guessing, he got right back on that horse minutes after we split" she laughed "Plus we got closure"

The night went just as they'd expected, they'd made plans for the following day, Mercy had drove off into the sunset back to Rachel's flat, Sam couldn't believe his luck as she drove off, he punched the air excited, turning to see Bert standing there

"She's the one isn't she?" he asked

"That's what's in my mind" he smiled

"She's a great girl" he grabbed his shoulder saying "Your Mom and Dad would be proud to have her as a daughter" he squeezed his shoulder as he walked off leaving him with his thoughts

 **11th August**

Waking up wasn't a chore, they'd made plans, they needed to know everything about each other, today they'd set aside to tell each other their deepest secret and work from there, meeting at their favourite coffee shop for 11am they were more than on time smiling as they fell into each other

"Good morning" he grinned when she finally let him up

"Good morning" she giggled watching him open the shop door for her

"What do you want?"

"Whatever you're having" she went to find a seat saying

"I was thinking last night" he sat down before the rest of the conversation "I have no real secrets, I'm an open book, so I thought I'd tell you the story about my Mom and Dad" he looked at her saying, she knew from his face there'd be tears

"Okay"

He dipped his cookie in his drink "I'd like you to think it was something romantic like titanic but it wasn't" he looked at her saying "It was a hot summers day, I remember that because I'd been out on the yacht with my Dad and Uncle the day before, I'd stayed up top too long and I was nursing a headache, sunstroke and dehydration"

" _Get inside" "_ Dad shouted, he was pissed that I'd gotten burnt the day before we were due to have a family trip to some small Island around the Caymans somewhere, and Mom insisted I stay on site with the Hummel's. I was crying of course I wanted to go, I was only 11. I thought that her punishment was uncalled for, but anyway they went off and that was the last I ever saw of them" he stopped to chock back tears "That was 14 years ago and every year I sulk for as long as I can in remembrance" he stopped to look up at her "I've still yet to understand why my parents had to be taken away and what inspiration it was that caused my Mom to not take me with them"

"So Bert adopted you?"

"Not really adopted, there was never anything official other than, he was my like unofficial Godfather"

"But he's been good to you though?"

"He's been brilliant to me, and Kurt too I feel like part of the family, except he says 'You're Mom and Dad would be proud..." he rolled his eyes saying

"I can relate" she smiled "My Mom died trying to give birth to my younger brother, of course I envisage lots of blood, screaming and pain, he didn't survive either, so that's another lifeless body I see every now and again, and I guess my Dad just thought fuck it and laid down and died a year later too, I was 7, I'd been in and out of the care system, until I was 14 then I settled at a school made some friends, who I still see every day and got on with my damn life" she frowned "My Mom died in September, 18 years ago and Dad the year after" she sat silent for a minute "I get sad too so my friends sort of book things to keep my mind occupied"

"Shit we're sad, lets get out of here" he said watching her throw the last of her cookie down her throat and grab her bag "Did you bring your car?"

"Yeah why?"

"I was hoping so, I didn't bring mine"

"Actually I need to go to our dressmakers, we have a gig coming up and I need to check on the dresses"

"Is this something else I'm going to learn about you?"

"Talking about my other world, Sam you know I'm away more than I'm here and I guess it will stay that way until we decide different, and yes I will listen, if and when you bring it"

"We'll work it out, I think this is going to be something worth fighting for"

"Okay" she said starting the car and making her way to the dressmakers

"Anthony" she jumped out the car saying looking back at Sam for just a second "What are you doing here?"

"Oh your girl Santana told me you'd come to the shop and I just needed to say something to you" he looked up seeing this tall guy coming out of her car and walking towards them "In private" he looked at him stood there saying

"I'm actually out on..."

"Just a few Minutes Merc it won't take long" he grabbed her hand saying, Sam wanted to pick each finger up one at a time and break them as he peeled them off her, but Mercy looked round at him begging him to understand and he set his face straight and smiled at her. She obviously took that as an okay because she moved off with Ant in tow, Sam stood rolling his eyes and eventually went back to the car, pulling the door to see she'd left it open, obviously meaning for him to stay there "What the fuck?" he asked himself as he looked at them talking before he got back in the car and turned the radio on

 **Anthony & Mercy **

"Anthony I have minutes rather than hours, I'm actually out on a date with that guy" she said pointing to Sam as she watched him getting back in the car

"A date?" he asked shocked "I didn't know you were seeing anyone"

"Where you supposed to know?"

"I just thought... it doesn't matter" he looked at the car "I just wanted to say ...I …. I made a mistake a big mistake in not marrying you, you're so the one for me, I didn't really know that until you were gone, will you have me back?"

"Anthony" she breathed "Did you not just hear me say I was on a date?" she asked him, looking back at the car to see Sam staring at her "I'm sorry if you didn't get closure but the opportunity was there, I got it and I'm not about to go back there"

"I was stupid, I was being fucking stupid as you know I am, I want you back Mercy, whatever you need me to do, I'll do it" he grabbed her hand

"Actually Ant I need you to leave me alone" she smiled "I guess you don't know, but it's taken me a year to get over what you did to my heart, getting back to where I am now has been difficult, but I'm here and most of that is due to that man over there" she looked at Sam "If you ever loved me you'd let me get on with my life" she said walking off leaving him standing, smiling at Sam she went back to the car, as Anthony shouted

"I'm going to try again Mercy, and again and again, you get the picture?"

 **Back with Sam**

She got in the car and breathed "He wants me back, I've told him no and he reckons he's going to..." she couldn't look at him

"I heard" he rolled his eyes saying "You told him no, but what do you really want?"

"If I told you that I'd be giving you a bit too much information for a first date"

"So" he looked at her "Are we going to look at those dresses?"

"Sorry Sam I thought we'd closed this down, I know what, or should I say who, I want"

"You'll work it out" he stretched over to kiss her saying surprised when she pulled him to her and kissed him deeper

"One more confession" she looked at him with one eye closed

"What?"

"This gig is a long one, I wasn't with you when we booked it and I swear, this wont happen again now we're in a relationship" she crossed her fingers telling him

"How long" he laughed

"Three weeks, we're doing about 20 gigs with Nick Jonas, it's going to be a ball" she laughed

"Three weeks" he repeated raising his eyebrow at her

"God that's so sexy, do it again" she asked, he did it again smiling this time and she screamed "God it just makes this next bit of the conversation all the more hard" she looked at a blushing Sam

"What's up" he smiled nervously

"I don't sleep around so, that's not going to happen this side of the gig, I'm talking four weeks minimum"

"I'm actually the same sort of guy and, lucky for me, I don't think this relationship focuses on sex for me, I'm more the love making type of guy to be honest, so I'd need to know you a bit better before we get our freak on" he laughed

"You need to be friends too" she kissed him saying "I love that about you"

"I need to be in love" he corrected her

"Shop" she panicked at his use of that word in that way, scared she may already be there

They used the shop as a playground, Sam putting his head through dresses making her laugh, Mercy getting into costumes and acting out different characters "That was good" she laughed when he did his impression of James Earl Jones

"Are you laughing with me or at me?" he giggled

"Both" she laughed harder "You're funny... in a nice way"

"Mercedes" the shop keeper finally grabbed their attention, Sam throwing whatever he was playing with across the shop

"Yes Alice" she spun round saying a giggle in her voice

"The dresses, I know you said just four each but Rachel came in and had one taken out a bit so I put another size up again just in case"

"Just in case?"

"Yeah, her news not mine" she said dropping the dresses in Mercy's hand, Sam grabbed them, watching Mercy open the door for him to walk through

"Bye Alice" he said as he marched out

"Yeah bye Alice" Mercy echoed, thinking all the way to the car "Sorry Sam I'm going to have to go home, can we finished this date tomorrow?"

"Sure" he replied a bit concerned for Mercy's changed mood, guessing the information she'd just heard in the shop was new news, and if it was her whole world was about to change in a big way "Are you alright?"

"I think so, can we speak tomorrow, I just need to …."

"Should I get a cab? Are you safe to drive home?"

"I'll be fine"

"Okay" he sat back and let the journey commence in silence listening to the engine humming before he joined in and started humming a song from their favourite singer _**'We live through scars this time...**_

"Tomorrow" she said when they finally reached the garage, Sam got out and stood looking at her sad face "Come here" she beckoned him as she watched him walk round the front of her car, she jumped out and kissed him "Thanks for an awesome first date, I enjoyed spending time with you"

"I loved it too" he smiled pulling her back to him to finish the kiss "Tomorrow" before he let her go

"Yeah, I'm watching that ass" she laughed after him as he slapped it and carried on walking, turning to laugh when he got to the gate, doing a phone signal, telling her he was there if she needed him and then he was gone

 **Home**

Mercy stood outside Rachel's building, she was angry but happy, Rachel should have told her about the pregnancy, they were best friends, she'd been living with her for nearly a year, she'd seen Jessie coming through the house, staying over, turning up at random gigs and stuff and never once had Rachel mentioned they were becoming anywhere near serous enough to be talking babies "Right" she said as she burst through the doors and made her way to the lift, taking the five floors slower than she remembered it being, she was more than frustrated when she finally got to the door "Rachel" she shouted

"In here Mercy" she shouted back "What's up"

"I got the dresses" she said holding them as high as she could to stop them hitting the floor

"So you know before everyone else then?"

"Knows what before everyone else?" Santana asked

"That Jessie and I are pregnant" Rachel smiled

"What the fuck?" Santana asked looking between Mercy and Rachel "How could you be pregnant, we haven't even talked about this"

"I'm almost positive you had nothing to do with it" she giggled, sobering up when there were no smiles on the girls faces "We wanted a baby" she told them

"What about wanting a wedding, a proposal, a steady committed boyfriend?" Mercy asked

"You tried that remember, it didn't work" Rachel looked at her saying "We're not getting any younger and well I want children, I know if one of us didn't stop this train it would never stop, we're on a roll we can afford to take some time out and do our thing"

"Why because Jessie's a business man and he can afford to support you while you damn well nest?" Santana asked

"Are you just saying that because Brittany hasn't got the tools, so it's not even a conversation in your damn house?" Rachel asked

"That's cruel Rachel" Mercy jumped in saying "I guess all we're saying is our act is a trio and it would have been polite to have had this conversation before you went ahead and made a decision for all of us"

"I'm only 6 weeks, we can do a lot before I'm out of action and I reckon a year tops before I'm back on the road" she smiled

"Your right we wouldn't have agreed to you having a life" Santana smiled

"Anyway congratulations" Mercy shouted "I'm going to be an Auntie" she rubbed Rachel's invisible bump saying, they got the orange juice out and celebrated the new addition

"Brittany's been talking about adopting actually" Santana told them

"You never said" Rachel smiled "Sorry about what I said ea..."

"It's fine" she put her hand up saying "I'll put it down to hormones" she giggled

"What are you going to do about the baby thing with Britt?" Mercy asked

"Well I'm sort of thinking now might be the time, seeing as Rachel's forced time out"

"Sam and I might be getting serious about our thing, Anthony turned up at the shop" she looked at them saying

"Sorry that was me" Santana owned up

"No harm I just told him where to get off, he reckons he wants me back, fool didn't know what to do with me when he had me, I told him no, Sam's on the scene, and I like him, I mean a lot"

"That's nice, about time, you've been on the shelf for a year now"

"Actually this relationship with Sam's been brewing for over a year now, remember the eyes I talked about at the wedding shop?"

"Yeah"

"That was Sam"

"You weren't..."

"Hell no, what do you take me for?"

"Sorry" Santana quickly added

 **Mercy & Sam **

later that evening Mercy called Sam and told him everything, they met nearly every day for that week, evenings were full of conversation, laughter and wine, while days were filled with hard graft, stolen seconds sending texts and written kisses. Sam had refused to have her at his place until he'd gotten rid of everything Brodie in his flat, so he was buying furniture, changing décor and destroying pictures "It will be more than ready for when you get back, I promise" he told her as they sat in his favourite Grill & Fry House

She'd just met Mike and Earl, that made her laugh because she'd realised that his impression of James Earl on their first date was more of his favourite chef than the actual James Earl Jones, she quickly felt like one of the group

"I'll text you no matter what time I finish, its against our rules though" she smiled

"Three weeks is a long time, I miss you already" he buried his head in her neck, as they sat him hugging her from the back

"Come on Dude line them up" Mike nodded at him

"I'll be back" he kissed her getting up

Too soon the week was over and it was time for Mercy to leave for three weeks, they sat in the café talking, laughing and watching the clock as time came close "I don't know why but I'm feeling a bit apprehensive about you leaving" he giggled nervously

"I know that feeling, I guess it's because everything's new and well we haven't maybe grabbed hold of the trust thing yet" she looked at him over her cup as she took a sip

"Trust not a problem, my middle name" he laughed getting up "We ready?" he grabbed her bag off the floor and attaching it to her arm as he guided her out, his mind whizzing, looking at this woman he'd known for such a short time, who had made such a big impact on his life. Two hours later he was saying goodbye to a crying Mercy, she'd felt the bond too and three weeks was a hell of a long time

The first week was a breeze the calls were maybe three a day and they had time to talk about everything, but by that first weekend the frustration started to set in when he couldn't get hold of her, on his fourth try she finally answered "Mercy" he almost shouted when he heard her voice "I've been calling all day"

"I know babe I've been working, Rachel got caught with her damn phone and we got told off, it's going to hopefully be at the end of the day when we're back at the hotel, before I can talk again"

"Is that now?"

"No, I'm going to have to cut you off"

"Okay call me when you can" he got out before the call was cut off, the weekend went past and still he hadn't had a call

"What's up?" Bert asked as he watched Sam kicking dirt on the veranda

"Mercy" he looked up at him saying "I think she's lost interest"

"Why because she hasn't called?"

"Yeah" his eyes sad

"She's working, you know she's working and if she has to focus on work you understand that don't you?"

"I guess, I just miss her"

"And that's a good sign" Bert smiled walking back into the house leaving Sam to his thoughts, he went to bed with her still on his mind

"Sam" he heard as he flicked his phone open the next morning, half asleep "It's me, sorry did I wake you?"

"Mercy no, well yeah but it doesn't matter are you alright?"

"I'm fine, missing you like crazy and bad news I'm afraid, I've got another week added which means I won't be back until maybe 15th September, I'm sorry" she told him a cry in her voice

Don't be it's work and I understand work"

"I don't even know when you became so important to me, but I miss you, badly" she said nervously down the phone

"I know I miss you lots too" he giggled nervously "Hurry back won't you?"

"I'm doing my best" she giggled "I sneaked this in so I've got to go" she almost whispered down the phone, he whispered back his goodbye and the conversation ended

 **Sam**

It was week three, the day when Mercy should have been back Puck was in town "Blowout" he asked as he walked into the garage, this was actually the first time Sam had seen him since Blaine and Kurt's wedding

"Dude what's up?" Sam hugged him asking

"Celebrating becoming a Daddy Dude"

"Congratulations" he smiled "Blow out" he agreed

He made his weak excuses and left work early, Bert had nothing to say, he thought Sam needed the distraction and Puck was exactly the person to deliver it, they found themselves at the local bar downing shots and getting it all out

"Dude not to put a damper on it but marrying Quinn, the best thing I've ever done" he laughed "What happened to that girl you were seeing at the wedding?"

"We're together but she's away on tour at the minute"

"Another traveller, no lessons learned then?"

"She's worth the wait" he laughed

"I guess this one is too, Brodie's behind you" Puck looked at the oncoming traffic, smiling as Sam rolled his eyes before turning round to look at her

"Brodie hi" he set his false smile saying as he watched her walking towards him

"Sam I needed to talk" she told him looking at Puck non-verbally telling him to leave

"I'm at the bar" Puck said leaving the table

"How can I help?" Sam asked her tapping the table as he spoke

"It's been a while and well, we were friends before we were anything else weren't we?" she sat in the chair Puck had just left saying

"A long time ago but yeah we were friends"

"I wonder if we could get back there, do you think we could?"

"I'm seeing someone and I don't think she'd be happy with me having my ex as a best friend"

"You need friends Sam"

"I have friends Brodie"

"You loved me once, what happened, why are you so cold?"

"I loved you once, not now"

"But you could again yeah?"

"No, I told you I'm seeing someone"

She looked around the bar finally deciding to leave the conversation there "I'll come to your place later" she told him walking out the bar

"What happened?" Puck came back to ask

"What other than my wing man abandoning me?"

"With Brodie" Puck laughed

Sam went through the conversation with Puck ending it with "She's not coming to my place, I just got rid of everything her so Mercy could come there after this tour, she's only got a week left"

"Are you serious about this Mercy girl?"

"Dude we've been official for maybe five weeks, but it feels like years, she's actually my soul mate I believe that" he smiled

"Then forget Brodie" he laughed downing another shot

"She's forgotten" he laughed that night Brodie turned up at his apartment, he spoke to her through the window, after all her screaming he eventually went down to speak to her, he was a lot worse for wear from his night with Puck and she was on a mission, one minute they were talking the next she jumped him and was on his lips before he could tell her to go away "Stop" he pushed her away "I'm not doing this with you Brodie, we're never going there again I have a girlfriend" he said turning and walking back towards his building shocked when he got to the lift to see her following him "Where are you going?"

"To the flat" she told him

"No that's not happening, now leave please" he pointed at the main doors

"You don't want me to Sam, I know you"

"You don't know me very well if you think I'm a cheat" he raised his voice saying

"Five minutes" she gave him puppy eyes saying

"No" he looked at her his eyes hard his face serious "I mean it, go" he raised his voice higher telling her she looked at him for a long while before she turned and walked away, getting to the door to look at him again

"Can I come in and wait for a cab?"

"No" he stepped into the lift and pressed the button, she finally made her way up to his flat door, he knew it was her so he didn't answer it, eventually he fell asleep, unsure if she was still outside or not, he was woken up by his phone ringing and knew it was Mercy he dived up to grab his trousers to get his phone out "Mercy" he said suddenly realising he couldn't lie to her he had to tell her about Brodie, the kiss, her at his door all night and his heart sunk

 **Mercy**

Mercy's tour had been swings and roundabouts, she'd been on a high most the time because this tour was phenomenal she'd had the pleasure of working with such mega stars, attending after parties, learning songs and stuff so by day they were busy and very professional. By night she was seriously missing Sam, this was alien to her because although, in the beginning she'd missed Anthony, it was nothing like this, she wasn't putting the contract on the line to make calls to him, crying for not having his arms round her, waiting for the phone to ring none of it. She was calling as regularly as she could but it wasn't enough, she was teary, he was frustrated and most nights she was left wondering if they were doing the right thing.

It was the 12th September and of course she was rightfully down about the day, her Dad had passed, her friends were mega mindful of this and found things for them to do to take her mind off the events that took place some 18 years ago "Let's do some cookies" Santana suggested as they sat waiting to be called for the rehearsals for the evening show

"Lets" Rachel said enthusiastically before running to the bathroom

"Do you think she's going to last the tour?" Mercy asked Santana

"She's going to have to this is our bread and butter"

"I'll survive" she came back in laughing "This is only for the first four months"

They finally rehearsed, did the show and got to bed, in the dark room they could get their phones out and make their calls, Santana called Brittany, Rachel called Jessie and Mercy called Sam

"Sam" she just about got out before she was in floods of tears, fighting hard to stop the flow as she sat wondering where this had come from "Sorry"

 **Sam & Mercy **

"Mercy what's up" he sprung up out of bed, throwing the covers to one side, concern in his voice

"I really don't know, I've been good all day then I hear your voice and this happens" she giggled through her cry "Sorry"

"It's 18 years since your Dad yeah?"

"Yeah"

"So I guess that's it, you shouldn't hold your feelings in" he told her which seemed to open the flood gates for her, he sat listening as she cried wishing he could hold her for these moment "I wish I could be there for you right now" he finally said "I feel helpless"

"You're doing just fine" she said wiping her face a smile in her voice "We've got less than a week before we're back together I can't wait" she laughed making him smile

"Me neither I have something to talk to you about but it can wait, maybe till you get back" he smiled "Remember I'll see you the 16th" he told her

"Yeah" she said with uncertainty "You sure you don't need me around the day before?"

"I told you, I know me I sulk a lot, so no" they talked for a while longer until he was sure she was alright closing the call and laying back down to think about their conversation, smiling as he imagined her laughing through her cry and wishing he was there to just hold her, that would be all he'd ever need just someone to hold him, Brodie never did get that, **'We live through scars this time...'** he hummed to himself a smile on his face as he remembered his karaoke night some time back when he sung thinking about Mercy, even then

 **15th September**

Mercy landed back early morning, excited for being home at last, better still she was seeing Sam the following day, she'd spend the day getting beautiful and she knew she was more than ready for the next step whenever that decided to happen "I'll just let him know I'm here" she took her phone out saying as she jumped in the cab with the others "Sam" she said when the phone was answered

"Sorry Mercy, it's Bert" she heard on the other end

"Hi Bert you alright?"

"Fine thanks, well as fine as everyone can be today"

"I know, where's Sam?"

"He's down at the lake sulking"

"He said he wanted to be alone today, I just got back and was checking in"

"I think he could do with the smile"

"I thought that too, but he's left his phone"

"Come see him"

"Are you sure, he did say he wanted to..."

"I'm sure"

"Okay I'll drop my things off and make my way, I miss him, I don't need asking twice" she giggled

Less than as hour later Mercy was knocking Bert's door, he was expecting her he just opened the door kissed her cheek and pointed out through to the lake. She walked towards him, he sat with his back to the house staring out at the water "Sam" she called as she got closer he didn't react he was deep in thought "Sam" she said again when she was standing over him, he looked up but didn't seem to recognise her as he looked back at the water for a few seconds before looking back and jumping up to grab hold of her

"God I missed you"

"Sam your freezing" she gasped when she grabbed hold of his face "Sulk or not, your coming in to get warm" she pulled him with her as she marched back towards the house, grabbing a blanket and finding the couch as she sat with him hugging her, the blanket over him, he shook with the cold taking over his body, she understood this his heart was breaking all over again, she sat rocking him.

"I'm glad you're here" he looked up at her saying and a while later she heard him sleeping as he lay in her lap

"He needed that, he hasn't been sleeping anyway because of you being away and now this, it's been a few days"

"I'm whacked too, I need to get off get some rest" she smiled at Bert, lifting Sam off her gently "Tell him I'll see him tomorrow please" she asked kissing him then Bert before she left for home. She woke up at some god awful time in the night hearing her phone ringing, it could only be Sam, she jumped up and grabbed the phone "Hello"

"Mercy" he said obviously stretching as he spoke "Sorry its so late just wanted to say thanks for earlier, I needed that hug"

"My pleasure, I'll see you tomorrow, well later" she giggled closing the call down, smiling as she lay back down to think about him, humming **'We live through scars this time..."** she smiled before closing her eyes to find sleep again

 **16th September**

Sam was up and refreshed, he'd glimpsed Mercy, it was the day after the whole lost family mess and his spring was back "Transformation or what?" Bert asked shocked as he bounced into the kitchen for breakfast

"What?"

"I've never seen you bounce back so quick"

"Oh I'm seeing Mercy today, I didn't even get to kiss her yesterday I have some making up to do" he laughed "She's so good for me"

"You'll get no arguments from me there" he smiled "Did you get to tell her about Brodie yet?"

"Shoot" he'd forgotten all about that "I'll tell her first thing, there's just so much going on for us" he frowned "I've got to get home before 11 she's meeting me at the apartment" he picked up some toast, sipped his coffee and waved goodbye

 **Sam's home**

Sam was nervous, giving the place a once over before Mercy got there, changed the sheets just in case his luck was in and checked the bathroom puffing the cushions as he heard the bell and running to his intercom to buzz her in "Mercy is that you?"

"Yeah it's me" she laughed as she heard the door click open

He was standing at the door when she came out of the lift smiling as she came towards him "I just need to get something out before we talk about us" he was mega nervous

"Okay" she stepped in the apartment looking around before sitting on the couch "Nice place"

"Yeah" he rubbing his hands on his calves as he sat down saying "I need to tell you something" he looked at her before looking at his hands "I went out the other night well a week ago, Puck and I were drinking then Brodie turned up and well we..."

"You went back with her" Mercy rolled her eyes "Shit" she breathed out hard "Okay I sort of get it but..."

"No I didn't go back with her she kissed me before I knew what was happening, I told her about you, she ignored me and turned up here late that night shouting and stuff I went out to calm her down and send her off and she kissed me, I walked away and I fell asleep with her banging my door down, I haven't seen her since"

"So you kissed her?"

"No she kissed me"

"So is there anything there, between you two I mean?"

"Nothing" he looked at her saying "For a long time now" they talked for a while finally both satisfied, Mercy fell back on the chair content that their relationship hadn't been compromised

"So Hi" she looked at him, his sexy eyes looking back at her

"Hi" he smiled as he leaned in to give her a kiss, she pulled him in and that familiar song came back to her mind making her laugh "What?" he looked at her asking

"Took you more than an hour to say hello"

They finally got up off the couch and he showed her around the apartment, taking his time to itemise everything in the bedroom as she smiled and took it all in attentively "Thanks for being there for me yesterday" he grabbed her hand telling her "You know all my life that's all I've ever wanted on that day, just someone to hold me"

"I know that feeling" she spun round to hug him saying

"Look Mercy" he pulled her off his chest to look at her "We've been talking for over a year, talking seriously for nearly two months and every time I think about you, I feel like we're wasting time about this thing between us" he smiled "I know you'll think I'm mad especially after what we've both been through but I just... well I just feel like I need to be settling down, doing the family and commitment thing with you and..." he forked his fingers through his hair "I want to ask you to marry me, will you marry me?" he froze looking at her

"Sam I..."

"I didn't plan this, this wasn't what I thought about when I woke up this morning, when I sat telling you that just even but somehow right now, this is what I need to happen, I want it to happen because I love you so much it's alien to me, I mean good alien" he laughed still nervous "And I don't think I've ever said that to you before, I've thought it a lot but..."

"I knew you were significant when I looked into your eyes in the shop that first day" she smiled "I told my friends I'd met your eyes" she giggled

"I know I told Bert I looked into your eyes and lost the will to buy a damn suit" he laughed

"So you've known from then too?"

"Known what?"

"That we should be married"

"Did you just say yes?"

"Did I?" she smiled kissing him

"You did" he came out he kiss saying

"First things first" Mercy jumped up saying "I'll race you" she walked off leaving Sam looking around for his keys, she took the lift shutting the doors before he got there, Sam locked his door and ran down the stairs

 **The Wedding Shop**

"Miss Mercy" Tony smiled as she walked through the door "Good to see you again" he grabbed her hand shaking it "To what so we owe this pleasure?"

"I need a dress Tony" she smiled "A wedding dress" she looked back at the door saying "But the groom is going to walk in any moment now, so I need total secrecy" she almost whispered

"We can do that" he smiled leading her to the female changing room "What are you looking for, please tell me you have an idea?" he laughed

"I do" she squinted her eyes telling him "You know that one with the purple floral lace over that white silk A-line number with the strappy top you know"

"The Tolli?"

"Yes that's the one" she smiled as he went to get the dress for her

"Sam" he said shocked when he passed through the shop to get the dress "Good to see you, how can we help?"

"I need that suit" he smiled "The one I told you to put away"

"The one" Tony said tapping his nose, making Sam smile "Things are finally back on?"

"Not back on, she's someone new, I just beat her here so can this be our secret?"

"Yes... Yes Sam it can" he smiled his mind already in overdrive as he looked towards the female changing rooms "Do you need to try it on again?"

"No it'll be fine, I'll just pay and store it here until we set the date" he told him as she went to look around the store

Tony got Mercy's dress, she fitted it, cried, giggled and then came out to pay "Sam" she aid shocked "I got here first right?" she smiled

"I guess you did" he laughed "But I've already brought my suit"

"I've already brought my dress" she kissed him saying

"We didn't set a date" he grinned "Maybe say a month"

"Fine 16th October"

"Would you guys like to try some of our new recipe cake?" Tony came out with a tray asking

"Please, Sam's eyes lit up as Mercy grabbed a piece anyway "Can you put our colour on this?" he asked, Tony smiled nodding

"How do you know what our colour is?" Mercy looked up at him asking

"Because I notice everything" he pulled her face up to him saying

"I guess we have our cake too, three tier" she smiled up at him "One for the baby"

"We have a family now?" he laughed "I can see that" he kissed her forehead saying

"Tony we'd want you and David there 16th October we'll be in again before that with the details, we met because of your shop"

"Pleasure" Tony smiled

Mercy went home and told Rachel, called Santana and Quinn and her family were done, Sam confided in Bert, he smiled all the way through the conversation and gave his blessing, then he told Kurt and Blaine and called Puck and Mike "Tell Earl to get the food ready" he laughed "I'm joking" he stopped to say "Pass him the phone please Mike" and he invited Earl to the wedding too. They went together to negotiate for the wedding venue, picked the reception venue that was easy and somehow managed to talk them into doing a wedding lunch before they went on to the evening venue to chill and be with their friends, everyone was happy.

 **Two Weeks to the Wedding**

Two weeks later they sat in Earl's Grill & Fry, ticking off their list of things to do "Honeymoon" he jumped up saying

"I don't actually care which bed that takes place in, I seriously need to get my mac on" she laughed

"I'm there, I just think our day will be so much more romantic, if it's also our first time" he kissed her head saying "And I need to prove to myself this isn't all about sex, I've been there before"

"Sam" they heard both looking up to see Brodie standing there "I hear you're getting married?"

"Brodie" he looked at Mercy saying

"Brodie could I have a word?" Mercy looked up at her asking, getting up to move them away from Sam's earshot with her hand

 **Mercy & Brodie**

"I don't think we've actually met before" Mercy looked at her saying as they stopped just at the door, which she opened to let her out as Sam sat watching "I appreciate you guys have actually been at this place before the wedding planning and everything and I get it I do but..." she looked around saying "I don't appreciate you turning up at our place at god knows what time of night and making a nuisance of yourself"

"I don't actually see what business that is of..."

"Oh bitch, I can not believe you think this is a conversation, this is not a fucking conversation, I'm telling you to back off, I know you don't know me so I give you this one but next time it's hello Mrs Evans first do you hear me" she stared at her saying "And you better believe my bite is much fucking worse than my bark"

"He's a friend"

"He used to be a friend, delete his number, erase his name, forget his address and remember his wife" she opened the door saying "Oh and we were in the middle of a private conversation" she walked back in leaving Brodie outside looking at her taking her seat again

"Everything alright?" Sam looked at her asking

"Everything is fine, where were we?"

"I was saying this relationship isn't all about sex, but hell Mercy you bring it" he laughed "These things generally happen in threes so I expect Anthony any second now" he laughed making her laugh too

 **One Week to the Wedding**

"Sam" Mercy called down the phone as he answered "My girls are up tonight and I wanted to spend time do you mind babe"

"No you can guess Puck's up, we thought we'd use it as my stag night, he sort of filled me in on your girl night thing"

"Good idea, so behave yourself and I love you to the moon and back"

"Back at you" he laughed "I love you more than though"

"This sort of means I might not get back tonight you know that right?"

"I know" he laughed "Enjoy yourself babe" they finally closed the call

The girls went off to Exchange LA for their night of dance watching, baby bump feeling and girl talk, not much drinking taking place with Rachel and Quinn pregnant while Brittany was trying to get pregnant, they could have stayed in really but they were together and that was the main thing, Mercy had a few drinks but everyone left sober.

The guys had gone all out, even Kurt had thrown caution to the wind, he was well gone, they'd just downed double shots and sipping beer when Sam spotted Anthony and his crew in the night club "Hold up guys" he said getting up to go approach him

"Where you going?" Blaine asked watching him move

"I'm going to tell that bastard to leave my wife alone"

"Hold up" Puck pulled him back "Glen's a friend I'll have a word" he stepped off towards the crowd to speak to his friend, there was a lot of laughing, fist bumping and hugs before Puck came back "He's cool, he's dating" he reported back "Apparently Mercy gave him the two fingers a while ago" Sam showed concern for a second before the drink being pushed into his hand became his priority again. It would have been nice to have said of the night, it was one to remember but in all honesty, not a recollection after the Anthony issue

 **The Wedding Day**

There were a few things that had been different this time round, wedding clothes were brought almost as a proposal answer, they'd sorted out the ceremony together, Mercy had wanted to have the Café that they had their first conversation in as the venue, but they didn't have a alcoholic drinks licence, so they agreed to do the wedding lunch instead, Sam had put in that he wanted the Grill and Rib venue and that had alcohol so they had that as the evening venue with food by the famous Earl. There were only sixteen guests, Rachel was bringing Jessie and Mike was entertaining some girl called Tina, they'd kept it simple and everyone had something to do on the day, except the two guests.

Mercy woke up with a burst of energy, she was ready to go "Come on girls we have a wedding to get to" she shouted through the flat everyone coming to life in her honour by 10.30 they were dressed and ready, waiting for the car

"Sam's an alright piece of kit" Quinn told the girls as they sat waiting

"Eerr I think you'll find he's my alright piece of kit" Mercy butted in "And you know I fight dirty girl, so park it"

"Parked" Quinn laughed showing everyone her wedding ring before feeling her bump "I was just saying, he's a lucky man to get our girl"

"Oh he knows that, I've even called him to tell him, uncountable times" Santana laughed

"If he doesn't turn up because of you guys bullying him I'll never forgive you" Mercy laughed

"Let's get you jumping that damn broom" Brittany jumped up saying "The cars here"

"Give away Bro" Rachel shouted smiling as Jessie finally came into the room and they all left for the church

At Bert's house everyone was walking on eggshells except Bert, who took great pleasure in walking around making as much noise a he could muster, laughing inside with every comment they made "Come on wedding in an hour" he announced as everyone attempted to go a bit faster 10.45 and they were sitting in the car waiting for Kurt to hurry up

"Finally" Sam huffed "We should be there before the bride" he cut his eye at Kurt saying

"Somebody's got the gitters" Kurt laughed, everyone just looked at Sam smiling

"Looks like we made it by the skin of our teeth guys out you get" Bert ordered as Kurt, Blaine, Puck and Sam jumped out the car and made towards the entrance, Mike was waiting to introduce them all to Tina, he looked happy

The wedding was very traditional with the wedding march belting out as Mercy walked down the makeshift aisle to meet her new husband, their faces were a picture, all the phones clicking as they met. Tony had pulled out all the stops there wasn't a dress in sight the shop was for all intents and purposes the church for the day. The vows were tearful and funny, the congregation cried louder than the bride and groom and rice was thrown when they finally walked out as Mr & Mrs Sam Evans. They had lunch at the café across the road where Sam and Mercy told their story to their guests, cut their cake and had their wedding dance to **'If You Ever Want To Be In Love' by James Bay** their song. By 4pm those festivities were over and they were heading to Earl's Grill  & Fry for the night activities

There were various speeches from Friends and a heartfelt one fro Bert making both of them cry and then laugh when he announced "They'd been born for each other" to use his words, those twenty meals Sam should have eaten a while back came out as everyone got the works with plenty of liquid to wash it all down, it was well into the night before everyone noticed there'd been no singing and insisted that the bride and groom rock things off

"We've never really sung together" Sam told everyone as he got up "I don't even know that Mercy knows I ever did" he laughed

"I haven't sung for company for a while either" she sat telling everyone before Sam pulled her up

"If I've got to" he smiled "You can cover me, you song for a living" he whispered to her, as he went over to the DJ to give his song choice

"So we'll sing one each" she told him walking past him to give her song choice too

"Is this planned?" the DJ smiled asking

"No" they both said before Sam grabbed the mic

"Okay guys remember you asked for this, Mercy's going to help me" he smiled down at her "This song for me is well, sentimental, I mean James Bay was the first thing we identified as being something we had in common" he grabbed her hand saying "And not to say I'm covering old ground but on May 10th a few years ago I was standing in this Grill house on a bet, I ate some of the bet but what I remember most of that day was singing this song and shocking the hell out of myself when I realised I was singing it to Mercy" he looked at her that lopsided grin and sexy eyes flash he knew she loved, laughing out loud when she rolled her eyes in ecstasy at it. "Puck can you pass me the guitar please?" he asked grabbing a chair

"Hold up" the DJ held his hand up saying "You guys chose the same song, I guess it's a duet"

"We did?" Mercy looked at Sam asking, both shocked, he was smiling

"Born for each other" he looked at Bert Saying

Mercy laughed before she started talking "I actually sung this song on the same night, me and my girls had gone out for a bit of a blow out, I got rat faced and well, against their better judgement I decided to sing I started singing about the day I guess but when I finished I knew I was singing about Sam" she reached up and kissed him

"And funny enough, it so fits so many things that have happened in our relationship so far" he added as he watched her sit on the stool, before they started singing **'Scars' by James Bay**

 _ **Sam**_

 _You're setting off, it's time to go, the engine's running, my mind is lost,  
We always knew this day was coming, and now it's more, frightening than it's ever gonna be  
We grow apart, I watch you on the red horizon, your lion's heart  
Will protect you under stormy skies, and I will always be listening for your laughter and your tears  
And as soon as I can hold you once again, I won't let go of you, I swear  
We live through scars this time, but I've made up my mind, we can't leave us behind any more_

 _ **Mercy**  
Your hands are cold, your lips are turning blue, you're shaking, this fragile heart,  
So heavy in my chest, it's breaking, and in the dark, you try to make a pay phone call to me  
But you're miles away, you're breaking up, you're on your own, It's hard to take,  
I need an hour just to say hello, and I can't make the truth of this work out for you or me  
And for all the pennies in your pocket, we barely get a second just to speak  
We live through scars this time, but I've made up my mind, we can't leave us behind any more_

 _ **Both**  
We'll have to hurt for now, but next time there's no doubt 'cause I can't go without you any more  
Oh, no, no, oh, oh.  
We live through scars this time, but I've made up my mind, no, we can't leave us behind any more  
We'll have to hurt for now, but next time, there's no doubt  
 **Mercy:** Cause I can't go without you any more, **Sam:** No, I can't go without you any more _

The party went into overdrive after that, Earl brought out more food and somewhere between the singing and rib eating competitions along with the arm wrestling Sam and Mercy found a window of opportunity and left

 **Home**

"Did you have a good day?" he asked as they walked in

"I had a great da..." she got out before he pulled her to him and covered her mouth with his

"That's what I needed to hear" he smiled as he looked into her eyes "We did it Mrs Evans"

"We did" she giggled as she went up to grab his lips again, letting out a semi-scream as he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, wrapping her arms round his neck and grabbing his lips again

"I want to hear all your thoughts" his eyes piercing into her "I love to talk"

"You do" she smiled as they entered the bedroom "You want this?" she asked stepping out of her wedding dress, standing there with black underwear on

"God you're beautiful, yes" he smiled

"Do you like it when I touch myself?" she smiled doing just that teasingly "Show me how you touch yourself"

"You like games?" he sat on the bed to do as she'd asked, silence as she listened to his sounds and watched his movements

"Stop" she told him when she thought he was near, surprised that he was able to

"Now lay back and shut up" he sat up telling her "I'm going to make you want to explode until you can't breathe by licking every inch of your body" he told her as he went about taking her underwear off with his hands and mouth her body trembling with anticipation as he went careful not to allow her to peak "Do you want more?" he asked as he looked at the ache in her face, she couldn't talk she nodded her need "Take it" he told her, she didn't need telling twice she pulled him up and climbed on top of him taking what she wanted, needed even

"I love the way it sound when you love me, hear it?" she smiled as they started past the point of no return "Hey" she got his attention as she stopped moving "Don't you dare cum until I tell you to"

"What?" he opened his eyes saying, his hands that were grabbing her ass now trying to get her off him to stop the inevitable "Stop Mercy, stop"

"You heard me right?" she asked still moving on him, knowing she'd set an impossible task, he grabbed her hips again, he was out of control

"Sorry" was all he could say as his body stiffened "Sorry" he relaxed finally "Fuck you showed me who the damn boss is" he giggled

"Don't test me hubby I'm professional and ladylike outside this flat but in here I'm a total bitch and right now" she looked down at his relaxed self "I'd say you'd just become my bitch for the night"

Bring me that sweet sexy ass" he grabbed hold of her pulling her down off him

"Let me go wash up" she pulled way from him, but he followed her to the bathroom carrying her back to the bed, when they'd finished, and throwing her on it

"Spread your legs wide for me" he stood over her telling her, she did as told as he delivered pleasure, her pitch heightening with every stoke "I love the sound of that" he said when she near exploded on his mouth, pulling away to make her beg

"Okay we're both bitches in the bedroom" she grabbed hold of his head and plunged it deeper to get her pleasure, there was more talk and action in that room it took a while for the honeymoon period to come to a manageable crave

 **4 Months Later**

She'd been in a seriously fuck you mood since the gig had started and they all knew it was because she didn't like change, she never managed it well on minor things now they were talking about her moving out, Jessie moving in, babies arriving and all she could see was her being pushed out. They'd tried to make her feel secure but her head was already in that place and there was no shifting her, she'd had an argument with Sam on the second day in because he'd laughed at her being childish about moving away from her friends. He'd taken it lightly at first but when two days past and she hadn't called he got worried

"Mercy" he called when she answered "It's been two days babe what's up?"

"Nothing" she sulked

"It's something babe talk to me" he begged

"Look I'm not having this conversation over the phone Sam, we'll talk as soon as I get back" she told him closing the call down before he could answer

"Shit" he looked at the phone saying as he turned to Bert and aired his fears at her words

"She'd not Brodie Sam wait, you know she's stressed already, just give her a chance" he grabbed his shoulder shaking him as he spoke

 **Sam & Mercy **

"Hi" she walked into their home saying

"Hi" he said nervously, shocked when she went straight to him and sat on his lap

"I'm sorry I came out all bitch, I've got a lot going on right now" she smiled, he smiled back but he was still unsure "I've been wondering about a conversation we've never had and how you might feel about it" she kissed him saying

"What's the conversation Mercy?" he asked past apprehensive

"Please don't tell me your at take your shit stage" she looked at him asking

"What's up" he asked ignoring her joke

"We're pregnant Sam, we're going to be parents and yes I'm shit scared for what this could mean for me, for us..."

"I'm here Mercy" he smiled hugging her _'We always knew this day was coming'_ he sung kissing her

'A _nd now it's more, frightening than it's ever gonna be'_ she followed with as they sat wrapped up humming their song

"I'm finally getting a family" he looked at her saying

"Me too" as they fell into each other

The End


End file.
